Blessed Anna Rosa Gattorno: Wife, Mother, Widow, Religious, Foundress
The saint of the day for May 6th is Blessed Anna Rosa Gattorno. Rosa (1831-1900) was one of six children born to the wealthy, pious family of Francesco Benedetta and Adelaide Campanella Benedetta in Genoa, Italy. She had a very serene and lovable character, and practiced the virtues of piety and charity. Rosa was married at the age of 21 to Gerolamo Custo and moved with him to Marseilles, France. Financial difficulties brought them back to Genoa. Then following a serious illness, their oldest child became deaf and mute. Her husband attempted to find fortune abroad, and received a fatal illness, leaving her a widow with three children, less than six years into marriage. A few months later, the youngest child also died. These tragedies opened up Rosa's heart to God and she felt called by God to give herself totally to Him. She received daily, Holy Communion, which was uncommon in those days. She grew daily in her intimacy with the Lord, and it is in Him...