Maria Lucrezia Zileri dal Verme

The path of Maria Lucrezia Zileri dal Verme is inseparable from the refounding and modernization of the congregation of the Suore orsoline missionarie del Sacro Cuore di Gesù (Missionary Ursulines of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), often called the Ursulines of Parma.

In October 1871, she was appointed director of the institute's boarding school (the educandato), then mistress of novices. Thanks to her energy and her qualities as an educator, she made the institution flourish again. In 1886, she was elected superior (prioress) of the community, succeeding Mother Tardiani.

At that time, the Company of Saint Ursula of Parma was still a secular (lay) institute. Under the impetus of Mother Maria Lucrezia, and with the explicit support of Pope Leo XIII, the institute undertook a profound reform to adapt to the new needs of modern society. She transformed the company into a true religious congregation of pontifical right. On May 8, 1899, the Holy See officially approved the new congregation under the name of Ursulines of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Mother Maria Lucrezia expanded the congregation's action by founding new houses in Italy, notably in San Michelino, Collecchio, and Modena. During the First World War, she showed exceptional dedication: she placed part of the Parma college at the disposal of the Red Cross to set up a military hospital, opened an asylum in Collecchio for the children of soldiers, and transformed another house into a care center for patients suffering from malaria.

She also prepared the ground for the missionary commitment of her sisters. Although the first mission to China was not sent until 1926, after her death, it was she who instilled this missionary momentum in the institute. The definitive constitutions of the congregation would be approved by the Holy See on November 23, 1926.

The reputation for holiness of Mother Maria Lucrezia Zileri dal Verme, as well as the lasting impact of her educational and spiritual work, led to the opening of her cause for beatification. * 1939: Opening of the diocesan phase of the beatification process in Parma. * October 28, 1975: Official introduction of the cause to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican. * December 21, 1991: Pope John Paul II signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of her virtues, thus granting her the title of Venerable.

As a venerable, Maria Lucrezia Zileri dal Verme has not yet been beatified or canonized. Her cause is still ongoing, awaiting the official recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

In November 2023, on the occasion of the centenary of her passing to God, the city and the diocese of Parma solemnly commemorated her memory. An academic symposium was held at the University of Parma in the presence of the Bishop of Parma, Msgr. Enrico Solmi, and the Superior General of the congregation, Mother Rosana Lazaga, in order to highlight the relevance of her educational model.

Mother Maria Lucrezia's spirituality is deeply Christocentric, centered on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and inspired by the charism of education and accompaniment of Saint Angela Merici. She conceived the education of young girls not only as a transmission of knowledge, but as a work of human and spiritual promotion, capable of transforming families and society.

Described as a woman "against the tide" by local historians, she knew how to reconcile absolute fidelity to the Church with great freedom of spirit, refusing the social conventions of her aristocratic background to become the servant of the humblest.

Today, the legacy of the Venerable Maria Lucrezia Zileri dal Verme is perpetuated through the Missionary Ursulines of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Although the historic schools of Parma have closed, the congregation continues its educational, pastoral, and social work throughout the world, notably in Italy, but also in Asia and Oceania (Japan, China, Australia, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam).