Saint Paula Frassinetti was born to a Christian family in Genoa, Italy in 1803. After losing her mother at the young age of nine, she took care of her family and learned to read and write, longing to follow God despite her father’s reservations. Moving to Quinto for her health, Paula would meet with the young girls of the neighborhood to discuss God, leading to the discovery of a passion as an educator. She felt that girls and young women in her time were neglected, “without any support for their human and spiritual growth.” This passion led to the founding of her order, which would eventually be called the ‘Sisters of Saint Dorothy.’ Though the order struggled, they focused on the religious education of the poor and youth, an effort that would extend to missionary work and the establishment of houses across the world. Paula passed away in 1882 and was canonized as a Saint in 1984, over a century later.
Sources:
“Paola Frassinetti (1809-1882) - Biography.” Vatican. Accessed August 14, 2025. https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc _19840311_frassinetti_en.html.
“Saint Paula Frassinetti.” Congregation of The Sisters of Saint Dorothy. Accessed August 14, 2025. https://doroteedellafrassinetti.org/en/saint-paula-frassinetti/.
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