www.suore.itwww.suore.itINTRODUCTION AND SITE GUIDE

• the Foundersthe Founders

• tthe special sites and their changeshe special sites and their changes throughout the years throughout the years

• the sisters and their activitiesthe sisters and their activities throughout time throughout time

• the daily lives of the sisters todayhe daily lives of the sisters today : : their prayers and assistance to thetheir prayers and assistance to the elderly women elderly women

This site illustrates a viewThis site illustrates a viewof the past and presentof the past and presentof this small Dominican of this small Dominican

congregation:congregation:

from 1875 until 1906, he served as the from 1875 until 1906, he served as the Bishop of Bishop of San Miniato (Pisa)San Miniato (Pisa),,

taking the name of taking the name of PiusPius;;

and then retired to the and then retired to the San Dominic Convent in San Dominic Convent in

FiesoleFiesole..

Monsignor Pio AlbertoMonsignor Pio Alberto was a very zealous pastor and was a very zealous pastor and often requested preacheroften requested preacher; ; He wrote many booksHe wrote many books

on theology, spirituality, and devotion. on theology, spirituality, and devotion. Most of his books Most of his books on spirituality and devotion have been printed and widely on spirituality and devotion have been printed and widely

distributed among Christian People. distributed among Christian People.

was born in Livorno in 1837, was born in Livorno in 1837, He became aHe became a Dominican monkDominican monk , , at the at the Florentine Florentine Convent of San MarcoConvent of San Marco,

Pio Alberto Del CoronaPio Alberto Del Corona, along with, along withMother Pia Elena BonaguidiMother Pia Elena Bonaguidi, founded, in 1872,, founded, in 1872,thethe Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Holy SpiritCongregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Spirit..

Grafting himself to the branchesGrafting himself to the branchesof the tree of Dominican spirituality, of the tree of Dominican spirituality,

Del Corona wanted his congregation Del Corona wanted his congregation to cultivate a special devotion forto cultivate a special devotion for

the the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit..

A home for the congregation A home for the congregation was build as awas build as a monastery on via monastery on via Bolognese Bolognese , 111 in Florence., 111 in Florence. Here the co-founders passed Here the co-founders passed away within a year of each other:away within a year of each other: Mons. Mons. Pio AlbertoPio Alberto in 1912 andin 1912 and Mother ElenaMother Elena in 1913.in 1913.

Elena BruzziElena Bruzzi was born in Siena in 1835, she got married and had a son. Early she was left widow and in Florence she met a young Dominican Father, Pio Alberto Del CoronaPio Alberto Del Corona, and became her spiritual daughter.

The Mother Pia ElenaMother Pia Elena - this was her religious name - carried on for all of her life the Mother Superior office, showing to be a “mother” in the full meaning of the term. She beared a serious illness with heroism and serenity in the last three years of her life.

The Father, who was thinking about founding a female Congregationfemale Congregation, found in the young widow the necessary skills to drive the Congregation. In 1872, after having formed a little group of nuns, he obtained Pope Pius IX’s approval and blessing.

Initially the CryptCrypt had no decorations; after fifty years works started to create the tomb which would receive the body of the Founder.The last restructuration works (1999) have been carried out to provide a more appropriate location for Mgr. PioMgr. Pio’s corpse.

The MonasteryMonastery is on the Bolognese Road, number 111, in the hilly region surrounding FlorenceFlorence andis formed by a complex of buildings that develop

from the road towards the slope at the back.

The architect Antonio Romei was inspired by the Renaissance style of the Dominican Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, in Florence; the current ChurchChurch is the result of a comprehensive restoration which took place in 1997. The slope of the ground allowed for the buildingof a Crypt under the Church

YESTERDAYESTERDAYY

ANDANDTODAYTODAY

THE THE MONASTERYMONASTERY

THE THE CHURCHCHURCH

THE CRYPTTHE CRYPT

the the prayerprayer

and the solemn and the solemn liturgiesliturgies

Aerial viewAerial viewof the large monastery of the large monastery

complexcomplex

In this large area of the monasteryIn this large area of the monasterya retirement home for elderly women a retirement home for elderly women

was structuredwas structuredand organized. and organized.

An ample gardenAn ample gardenin the rearin the rear

andandextended cultivated extended cultivated

fields.fields.

The peaceful garden is The peaceful garden is available for both the sisters available for both the sisters and the resident ladies.and the resident ladies.

In order to show the special devotion that Mgr. Pio nourished for theHoly SpiritHoly Spirit, in the web site you will find prayers and meditations on the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit composed by Mgr. Pio.

This is how a prayer dedicatedto the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit starts:

”Holy SpiritHoly Spirit, who arethe Third Person

of the eternal Holy Trinity,we worship You.

You proceed by will from the Father and the Son,

You are the substantial Bondof their blessed Union

and You accomplishtheir mysterious Being

in a Fire of Love…”

The soul is thus instructed to receive the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit:“If we want the Holy SpiritHoly Spiritto speak inside us, let usswear to be quiet always.Be quiet in pain and struggle;in the lack of feeling and desolation of the soul,in the pitiful argumentsof one’s pride;in the peaceful casualnessof those who feel vile andare happy to be such…We will live as deadwith this silenceand we will live only in God.”

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