In the Footsteps of Magdalene: Mother Albertina’s Canonical Visit to the Canossian Communities of Lombardia and Lazio

In an atmosphere of warm welcome and deep family spirit, the canonical visit of Mother Albertina, member of the General Council of the Canossian Daughters of Charity, took place in recent days. Her journey led her through the Canossian religious communities of Fidenza, Magenta, Nova Milanese, the Collegio del Senatore in Pavia, the Mater Dei community in Rome, and Nuova Ostia. Each stop was a moment of profound significance—not only institutionally, but spiritually, communally, and humanly.

Fidenza: A Heart that Educates

In Fidenza, Mother Albertina encountered a vibrant community, deeply rooted in a long-standing spiritual tradition. The Canossian presence in this area is expressed through closeness to the people, a committed educational mission, and the living witness of Gospel love—faithfully reflecting the legacy of Maddalena di Canossa.

Magenta: Between Education and Silent Charity

The visit continued to the religious community of Magenta, a small Lombard town rich in history and tradition, also known as the birthplace of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla. For decades, the Canossian Sisters have been a quiet yet attentive presence here, faithfully accompanying the local population and responding to their needs.

A particularly moving moment was the visit to the Canossian Kindergarten of Magenta, where encounters with children, families, and the teaching staff beautifully expressed the simplicity and joy of the Canossian charism: educating with love, through daily gestures illuminated by the Gospel. The school stands as a trusted refuge for many families, offering an environment of serenity, warmth, and deeply-rooted values.

Nova Milanese: A Community Alive with Joy

The next stop brought Mother Albertina to Nova Milanese, in the province of Monza and Brianza. Here, the visit was imbued with a joyful spirit thanks to the celebration in honor of Saint Maddalena di Canossa, foundress of the Institute. The festive decorations, heartfelt participation of both the religious and lay communities, and the shared joy turned the event into a true celebration of gratitude and affection, uniting all who are touched by the Canossian spirit.

Nova Milanese continues to be a dynamic pastoral and educational presence, able to reach younger generations and stand beside those facing the vulnerabilities of our time, always with the warmth of a community that walks together in faith.

Pavia – Collegio del Senatore: Charity that Uplifts Young Women

In Pavia, Mother Albertina visited the Collegio del Senatore, a community well-integrated into the life of the city and committed for many years to hosting young university students living away from home. In this setting, rich in history and spiritual depth, she was welcomed with a spirit of fraternity and contemplation.

Mother Albertina met with the students living at the Collegio—young women pursuing their academic journeys while being gently accompanied by the Sisters, who watch over their human and spiritual growth. Here, charity is lived out in daily gestures of care, presence, and encouragement.

Mater Dei, Rome: A Space of Faith and Spiritual Intimacy

In Rome, Mother Albertina was received by the Mater Dei community, a serene and spiritually centered reality. Here, the commitment of the Canossian Sisters becomes tangible through daily presence and spiritual accompaniment. It is a sacred space where Maddalena’s charism continues to generate life, quietly and faithfully.

Nuova Ostia: The Gospel Among the People

The final stop was in Nuova Ostia, on the outskirts of Rome. In this community, the Canossian presence is incarnated through concrete acts of charity and closeness, lived out in the fabric of everyday life. Here too, the Gospel walks among the people—through hands that serve, hearts that listen, and a faith that speaks in action.

A Visit that Rekindles the Heart of the Charism

More than a canonical duty, Mother Albertina’s visit became a pilgrimage into the living heart of the Canossian charism—a charism that breathes through education, care, closeness, and listening.

Maddalena di Canossa, born in Verona in 1774, dedicated her life to the integral promotion of the human person. She founded the Daughters of Charity with the mission to “serve Christ in the poor,” through the human and spiritual formation of young women, catechesis, and tangible acts of love. Today, that dream continues to blossom in communities around the world—and in the hidden corners of Lombardy and Lazio, it still finds fertile ground to flourish, day after day.

Even for those who do not share the Christian faith, this journey among the Canossian communities offers a universal message: the value of caring for the other, of education as an act of love, and of faith expressed through concrete and compassionate action.

The Canonical Visit: A Gesture of Communion

A canonical visit is a significant moment in the life of a religious community. For the Canossian Daughters of Charity, it is a privileged time of encounter, listening, and spiritual accompaniment. It is an official visit made by a major superior—in this case, Mother Albertina, a member of the General Council—with the purpose of coming to know, firsthand, the life of the community: its apostolic activities, its fraternal atmosphere, its challenges, and the fruits of its shared journey.

But it is more than an institutional visit. It is a gesture of care and communion, a reaffirmation of the mission to educate, to serve, and to love—faithfully and humbly—in every place the Canossian Sisters are called to be.