h clelia 6

Violante Garagnani ...

later Mother Francesca...

was seven years old when she received the sacrament of Confirmation from Mons.Passaponti in San Giacomo del Martignone, nine when she received her first Communion in Budrie di Persiceto from the new parish priest, Don Gaetano Guidi, on 27 June 1858.

A girl named Clelia Barbieri belongs to her group. She is two years older than her and from that time on, a friendship began between them that will last a lifetime.

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Teenager, Violante enters the group of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate led by her friends Clelia and Theodora, she grows up with them, and together they live a pure and ardent youth in which the sky is reflected.

When Clelia, with Orsola and Theodora, on the banks of the Samoggia, makes mature the project of a holy union, Violante too participates in it with all the enthusiasm of her heart... 

even if work commitments keep her in San Giovanni in Persiceto, in the rectory, in aid of the parish priest Don Luigi Santini.

Together with Clelia, Teodora and Orsola, Violante too welcomes and lives the extraordinary foundation grace with all the charismatic power of love and pain that it contains.

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As a religious she is given the name of Francesca ...

and after the death of Theodora and Clelia, alongside Orsola she carries on the path of their holy union, according to God's plan and the founding charism.

In her family memoirs it is written that she was loved and highly esteemed by Clelia... 

and was the last of her three companions who joined her to found the Institute.

She was a woman of great intelligence... 

and due to her dignified, almost aristocratic trait... 

she seemed to come from a noble family.

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For all the contemporary sisters, Mother Orsola and Mother Francesca have remained the fixed point, the light moment of the family, and are considered the co-founding mothers.

While Mother Orsola we always find her present at the mother house of Budrie...

founding stone of the family, and pivot of her unity until the end of her long life...

we always find Mother Frances on the way to start the communities that are gradually being opened in the vineyard of the Lord, where the least are called to work. 

Her job is the mission.

The sisters remember that, in the last talks, Mother Frances speaks to them of the transience of human things and above all she strongly urges them to love God. She has Mother Clelia's command in her heart: Love God, tested by her life and she passes it on to her sisters as her last gift.

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We have now reached April 1903...

Mother Frances is in agony, she receives Jesus the Eucharist as Viaticum and the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

One of the old men turned to me and said, 

"Those who are dressed in white, who are they and where do they come from?"

I replied, 

"My Lord, you know it."

And he: 

"They are those who have passed through the great tribulation and have washed their garments making them white with the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7,13-14)

Mother Frances has reached the candor [oprechtheid] desired by her Jesus,  her Spouse of Blood.

The passion is over, April 11, 1903 at 10 am. 

It is Holy Saturday, the meeting takes place.

[bron]