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The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows, known as Maestre Pie dell'Addolorata in Italy is a Catholic religious institute of pontifical right present in Italy, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe. The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows was founded by Blessed Elisabetta Renzi in Italy, in 1839.



Foundation
Blessed Elisabetta Renzi was led to the Conservatory in Coriano at the age of 37 in August 1824. She recognized the will of God in the words of her spiritual director, Fr. Vitale Corbucci, who assured her that the Lord was calling her with the mission of giving a “good education to young women,” and he directed her to the Conservatory.

At the Conservatory, she found joy of spirit in carrying out God’s will, and realized the ministry of education was her calling, serving the students, her companions, and the people of the town with humility and compassion. Her gifts were noted by all, and many sought her counsel.

From 1830 to 1839, Mother Elisabetta faced many obstacles, and came to the realization that she would be on her own concerning the foundation of a new congregation. “One of the most marvelous and rarest acts of faith that one can perform in the darkness of exile is that of creating an institute, a religious order.” She ardently desired to get the religious habit and to begin a new journey toward holiness by ministering to others through education and catechesis.

While awaiting the opportunity to bring to fruition the founding of the new congregation, she earnestly continued her work as educator. The main issue of the time was to provide education for girls from small towns who were neglected by the state, and Elisabetta focused on addressing this need. She established schools in those areas where there were none.

Mother Elisabetta’s profound spirit of faith and humility shone in a special way in the year 1839 when, several times, the canonical erection of the Congregation and her first profession were postponed. She never lost her trust in Providence and waited patiently for that glorious day. “I ''believe that what I have done, I have done for the glory of God. Only for the glory of God did I begin the work of the Congregation''.”

Finally, on August 26, 1839, in the parish church of Coriano, the bishop of Rimini, His Excellency Francesco Gentilini, declared the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows canonically erected. On August 29, 1839, Elisabetta, with ten companions, received the religious habit and made her first profession.

Apostolate
To educate children and youth and to keep them from danger was the great passion of Blessed Elisabetta and the principal aim of the work to which she dedicated herself through many sacrifices. She established schools for girls and made sure that nothing was lacking to the students that would enable them to grow sound in spirit and body. The school, was for her, the most urgent apostolate and wanted schools in every village. At the foundation of their Christian formation she put catechism, spiritual exercise, religious conferences, recitation of the rosary, devotion to the Eucharist, the Sacred Heart, and the most holy Sorrowful Mother.

Faithful to the Charism of our Foundress and to the traditions of the Congregation, today we commit ourselves to educating students at all levels to discover God and the values of the spirit so that they may seek a vision of the world in accord with the gospel. We present Christ to our students as a model and example of life. The Constitutions of our Congregations states that, “The schools of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows place Jesus at the center of their Christian, cultural, and human search for truth. They provide a complete intellectual formation of the students and the nurturing of virtues that will shape and accustom them to living the new life in Christ, and to work with him to build up the Kingdom of God.”

Spirituality
The spirit of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows is essentially a “spirit of service in charity and humility, simplicity, cordiality, joy in duty, gladness of spirit, and love leading to sacrifice and the hidden life.” This spirit lays the foundation for and characterizes the spirituality of the Congregation that well up from the contemplation of Christ Crucified, Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Eucharist.