Also known as
- Ann Francis Boscardin
- Anna Francesca Boscardin
- Maria Bertilla
Memorial
Profile
Born to a
poor
peasant
family headed by Angelo Boscardin who, by his own account, was a violently abusive
drunk
. Anna had little
education
, was simple and innocent, and was considered mentally slow; referred to as
the goose
(as in, “silly as a….”). Worked as a house
servant
in her
youth
. Joined the
Sisters of Saint Dorothy, Daughters of the Sacred Heart
at
Vincenza
,
Italy
in
1904
, taking the name
Bertilla
. After working in the
convent
‘s kitchen and
laundry
, she trained as a
nurse
in
1907
.
Assigned to the
hospital
in
Treviso
,
Italy
, a facility managed by the
Sisters of Saint Dorothy
. Sister Maria worked in the
children
‘s ward, becoming a great favorite for her simple, gentle way with the
young
patients. She cared for
wounded
Italian
soldiers
during World War I, and was noted by local authorities for staying with patients in
1917
while the area was being bombed. A supervisor, angry at Bertilla’s growing reputation, reassigned her to the
hospital
laundry
. Her congregation’s mother-general heard of this vindictive treatment, and transferred Bertilla back to
nursing
, making her the supervisor of the
children
‘s ward in
1919
.
Born
Died
Venerated
Beatified
Canonized
- 11 May
1961
by
Pope
John XXIII
- the crowds gathered for the recognition included family members and an unknown number of her patients
Additional Information
- Saints of the Day
, by Katherine Rabenstein
- books
- other sites in english
- images
- video
- sitios en espanol
- fonti in italiano
- nettsteder i norsk
MLA Citation
- “Saint Maria Bertilla Boscardin“.
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