Maria Bonardi

Maria Bonardi (born 4 December 1864, in Cuneo – died 25 July 1945, in Vercelli) was an Italian nun and the founder of the Sisters of Santa Maria di Loreto.

History

Her baptismal name was Maria. She was raised as a Christian. As a young girl, after a Vision in which she saw herself among young girls dressed in white and veiled, she discovered her desire to live as a “servant of God”. This dream eventually led her to become a nun.^[1]

In 1873, she was accepted into the Congregation of the Holy Family of Cuneo. After taking her vows, she took the name Sister Natalina. She worked as a teacher in a small village with other nuns. The order was dissolved in 1891, and Natalina joined the community of Vercelli. During difficult times, she visited the shrine of Loreto and prayed to the Virgin Mary. After another Vision, she believed that Mary had promised her help. She consulted her local priest, who advised her to found a new religious order.^[1]

Founding a religious order

After a while, she received permission from the bishop to found a new order and was entrusted with the establishment of a nursery and a school. Thus, a house was built in the city of Vercelli and the number of nuns increased. In 1891, the sisters of the school received the approval of the archbishop and from then on called themselves “Suore di Santa Maria di Loreto” (Sisters of Saint Mary of Loreto). Mother Natalina became a model for charitable organizations, universities and youth education institutions throughout her life.^[2][3][4]

Canonization

After her death on 25 July 1945, she was buried in the church of the Mother House in Vercelli. On 13 September 2002, the Archbishop of Vercelli, Enrico Masseroni, initiated the canonization process. The investigation was concluded on 7 December 2007 and she was declared a Venerable Servant of God.^[5]