St. Rose Venerini

St. Rose Venerini was born on February 9, 1656, in Viterbo, Italy, to Goffredo Venerini, a physician, and his wife Marzia. Following the death of her fiancé, she briefly entered a convent but returned home to care for her widowed mother after her father's unexpected death. Rose began gathering local women to pray the rosary, which led her to recognize the need for education and religious formation among them. Under the guidance of a Jesuit priest, she decided to become a teacher rather than a nun. In 1685, with the approval of her bishop, Rose opened Italy's first public school for girls in Viterbo. Her success led to an invitation from Cardinal Barbarigo to train teachers and organize schools in the Diocese of Montefiascone, where she founded ten schools between 1692 and 1694. She also befriended Saint Lucy Filippini, who later founded a separate religious congregation. After several attempts, Rose established a school in Rome in 1713, which received praise from Pope Clement XI. She died in Rome on May 7, 1728. Rose was beatified in 1952 and canonized on June 3, 2007, by Pope Benedict XVI. Her legacy continues through the Venerini Sisters, who work globally, including among Italian immigrants in the United States.