Betrone, Pierina

Childhood and vocation

Pierina Betrone was born in Saluzzo on April 6, 1903 in the family of the baker Pietro Betrona and housewives Giuseppina, née Nirino. For her father, this was the second marriage in which he had six children. From his first marriage with Giovanna, nee Viano, he had eighteen children. Widowed, father married again. In this marriage, Pierina was the second child. On April 8, 1903, she was baptized with the names of Pierina Maria ^[1] .

In 1904, the family moved to Turin . In 1909 they moved again, now to Airaska , where his father opened a bakery and a small restaurant. Here, at the age of thirteen, Pierina first felt the vocation to a contemplative life. She joined the “Society of the Daughters of Mary”, which operated at the parish, took the First Communion and Confirmation ^[1] .

On December 8, 1916, during the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary , Pierina dedicated herself to the Mother of God . On this day at the Eucharist, she responded by accepting the call that Jesus Christ addressed to her ^[1] .

February 26, 1917 the family returned to Turin , where his father opened a bakery shop. After graduating from elementary school, Pierina switched to correspondence courses to help parents in the shop. During her studies, she mastered the Latin and French languages, and artistic and literary talents were revealed in it ^[1] .

Pierina was a parishioner in Turin, which was located next to her house on Viaia Massimo. With the blessing of the spiritual father, she participated daily in the Eucharist, helping the children to go through catechism . She was particularly impressed by the book “ ” - the autobiography of the nun Carmelite Theresa of the Baby Jesus , which she read in 1924. At the age of twenty-one, Pierina began to look for a monastic institution in which she could fulfill her vocation ^[1] .

The family did not want to let her go to the monastery, but, seeing the daughter’s perseverance, her parents gave way. On January 26, 1925, she joined the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Assistants of Christians , on August 5 she accepted monastic vestments and became an innovation in the congregation's house in the faction, but already on December 28 she decided to leave the institute. August 17, 1926 Pierina returned home ^{[1] [2]} .

In 1927, she joined the Small House of Divine Conduct in Turin, founded by Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo . At first, Pierina entered the community of the sisters of St. Taisia, the contemplative branch of the institute, but due to poor health, on August 19, 1928, moved to the community of the sisters of St. Martha, the apostolic branch of the same institute. However, already on August 26 she had to leave the Small House of Divine Conduct and return home again. On the advice of the spiritual father, Pierina decided to enter the Order of the Capuchin of Saint Clara ^[3] .

Monasticism

On 17 April 1929, Pierina entered the Capuchin monastery in the , in Turin. She doubted the correctness of her decision, until on May 8 of the same year, Our Lady of Pompey and Saint Teresa of the Infant Jesus saved her from doubt.

On February 28, 1930, after completing the , Pierina accepted monastic vestments and took the new name of Maria Consolata, in honor of Our Lady of Comforter, or Madonna Consolata ( ital. Madonna Consolata ), patroness of Turin. On April 6, 1931, she brought temporary monastic vows.

On April 8, 1934, on the , Maria Consolata brought eternal vows. Prior to this, on March 29 of the same year, on Good Thursday, she responded by accepting a call to self-sacrifice to God. On March 31, on Great Saturday, Marie Consolata confirmed her consent to become a sacrifice for the comfort of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and the souls of all who refused to accept the love of God ^[4] .

During monasticism she remained in constant communion with Jesus Christ. In June 1935, Maria Consolata was called by God to the cause of unceasing love. In July 1935, she founded the Society of Least, which embodied this vocation. The smallest path of love required the participant to joyfully see and accept Jesus Christ in everything and thank Him for everything ^[5] .

In the monastery at Borgo Po from 1929 to 1939 she carried the obedience of a cook, a watchman and a baker. Since its entry into this monastery, the number of nuns in it has increased significantly. In May 1938, another Capuchin monastery was founded in the Moriondo faction in Moncalieri , to which Maria Consolata was transferred on July 22, 1939. Here from 1939 to 1945 she served as a cook, watchman, baker, secretary and nurse.

Death and veneration

After the entry of the Kingdom of Italy in June 1940 into the war on the side of the Third Reich , Maria Consolata began to strictly fast. She prayed and willingly starved, giving her bread to the weak and sick sisters. Strict fast was completed by her only in November 1945, shortly before his death.

In December 1942, after the bombing of Turin by American and British military aviation, refugees appeared in the monastery in Moriondo, Capuchin nuns from the monasteries at Borgo Po and San Vito. Despite her health problems, Maria Consolata made even greater commitments to help everyone in need.

In February 1944, fulfilling the abbess's obedience, she underwent a medical examination, during which she discovered serious health problems. Doctors diagnosed viral pneumonia . The treatment did not help. In September 1945, Maria Consolata fell ill with fever. In November, after an X-ray, doctors discovered numerous adhesions in the lungs. She was sent to the sanatorium of St. Louis in Turin.

In July 1946, Maria Consolata returned to Moriondo. Immediately after her return, a crisis began. She died at dawn on July 18, 1946. She was buried on July 20 at the cemetery in Moncalieri. After it, there was a “Diary”, which she conducted from obedience to the pastor. It records all the events of her monastic life ^[6] .

On April 17, 1958, the remains of Marie Consolata were transferred from the cemetery in Moncalieri to the monastery in Moriondo. On February 8, 1995, an information process was opened in the Archdiocese of Turin to classify it blissful. On March 10, 1995, the Holy See issued the decision of “nihil obstat”, that is, “there are no objections” ^[7] . Mary Consolate was given the title of servant of God . On April 23, 1999, the information process was closed; All materials collected by the Archdiocese of Turin were transferred to the Congregation for the canonization of saints in the Vatican. There are numerous miracles bestowed by God on the intercession of Maria Consolata, recorded in the monastery in Moriondo from the early 1950s to the present ^[8] .

• Sales, Lorenzo. The heart of Jesus to the whole world. From the records of the Consolata sister Betrone: [ rus ] . - Gatchina: CRSD, 2004. - 269 p. - ISBN 978-5-94-331090-4 .

• Suor Maria Consolata Betrone. Una vita per l'Amore . Monastero Sacro Cuore. - Article "Sister Maria Consolata Betrona. Life for Love ”on the site of the Monastery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The appeal date is June 17, 2015. (ital.)
• Serva di Dio Maria Consolata Betrone. Religiosa (Neopr.) . Santi, beati e testimoni. - Article "God's Servant Maria Consolata Betrona. Nun "on the site of the Catholic Encyclopedia of the Saints and the Blessed. The appeal date is June 17, 2015. (ital.)