Saint Pauline

We are very honored to share a common, although distant, ancestry with Amabile Visintainer, now known as Saint Pauline.

Amabile Lucia Visintainer was born in Vigolo Vattaro, Trento, on December 16, 1865. She was the daughter of Antonio Napoleone Visintainer and Anna Pianezzer. The ancestors we have in common are Giuseppe Zamboni, born June 17, 1732 and his wife, Anna Maria Marzari born June 3, 1731.

Until age 10 Amabile lived in Vigolo Vattaro surrounded by family and friends. Teresa Bailoni, our direct line ancestor was three years younger than Amabile. It seems quite likely that Teresa and Amabile may have known one another in childhood.

During Teresa and Amabile's youth, economic conditions were terrible in the Tyrol. At age 8 Amabile went to work in the Vigolo Vattaro silk mill.

Her father, Napoleone Visintainer and many others from Vigolo Vattaro learned of the Brazilian government's invitation to Europeans to settle in Brazil. It was an difficult decision, but many Vigolani felt that they had to leave their beloved Tyrol in order to provide a better life for their families.

At that time, Vigolo Vattaro was a town of approximately two thousand people. In a 2-1/2 month time period, approximately 20% of the population left the town and resettled in Brazil. More families would follow later.
 
 

The Visintainer family arrived in Brazil in late 1875 along with a group of 109 men, women and children. In 1876 the immigrants established a village in the Province of Santa Catarina. They named their new town Vigolo.

For the next ten years Amabile's life centered on church, home, farm, and family. She realized her calling to the religious life, but circumstances prevented her from fulfilling her dream. In August 1886, her mother died in childbirth. Amabile took over the household and care of her 12 siblings while her father left Vigolo to work in Nova Trento. He returned home to Vigolo on the weekends.

Eventually, Napoleone married a young widow, Maria Zamboni. Napoleone's remarriage gave Amabile the opportunity to enter the religious life.

It took many years of trials, dashed hopes, and dedication, but finally on December 7, 1895, Amabile along with two friends, Virginia Nicolodi and Teresa Maoli prounced their vows of charity, obedience and chastity and the The Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception was founded.

As the congregation grew, their work spread to nearby towns. In 1903 they were asked to be missionaries in the large city of Sao Paolo. There the congregation continued to multiply as did their good works. They reached out to Brazil's sick and poor.
 
 

Internal conflicts arose within the congregation and at age 44 Saint Pauline was unfairly removed from her duties as Mother General by the Archbishop. This turning point in Saint Pauline's life is referred to as the 'beginning of the hidden life of Mother Pauline." Although she had labored so long and so hard for many years she did not defend herself against the injustice and false accusations, but instead accepted the Archbishop's decision.

Saint Pauline continued her tireless work helping the poor, the sick, the abandoned, the handicapped and the mentally retarded. She accepted menial labor with good cheer and dedication.

Word of Saint Pauline's charity, holiness and love spread throughout Brazil. Many people sought her out and asked her to pray for them. She always had time for everyone.

In 1938, Saomt Pauline's diabetes affected her vision. She injured her finger while chopping wood. This led to gangrene. The finger was amputated; however, the gangrene continued to spread. A second operation was performed and her right hand was amputated. Sadly, a third operation was necessary and Saint Pauline's right arm was then amputated. Soon afterwards, she became blind.

Saint Pauline's health continued to fail and then it was discovered that she had pulmonary cancer. She spent the last year of her life confined to bed.
 
 

Saint Pauline died on July 8, 1942 at Ipiranga, Brazil.. In accordance with her wishes, a simple funeral was held at the motherhouse.

On October 18, 1992, Holy Father, John Paul II beatified Saint Pauline at in Florianopolis, Saint Catherine, Brazil.. She was then known as Blessed Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus. Many miracles were performed through her intercession. One of the outstanding miracles that led to her beatification was the healing of a young boy's paralyzed and withered leg.

By 1994 The Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception community had grown to include 1,892 Sisters, 130 novices and 300 aspirants in the 35 states in Brazil. Foundations are in Argentina, Chile, Nicarague, Chad, Zambia, Mozambique and Italy.

Saint Pauline was cannonized by Pope John Paul II on May 19, 2002  at Rome, Italy.  She is the only known saint to have suffered from diabetes.  Some Catholic diabetics would like to have Saint Pauline declared patroness of diabetics.

Saint Pauline was a most courageous woman who lived the gospel with love.

(The biography of Saint Pauline was excerpted from Love's Harvest, Frederick Farace, S.T.L., published by The Riehle Foundation, 1994.)