After the story of the family, the text that follows states the facts that brought to the birth of the congregation of the “Sisters of the Providence”.

These sisters were the natural evolution of that structure of assistants, teachers and volunteers that worked in the institute in favour of the orphans; people capable and motivated that came from that precious forged spirituality of Father Carlo and Father Luigi

Sr. Cecilia Piacentini

Monsignor Guglielmo Biasutti in the book “All of God” dedicated a chapter to Mother Cecilia Piagentini, who was mother superior beginning from 1880, is the “daughter” which inherited and directed the congregation after the death of Father Luigi.

In this chapter, mons. Biasutti wanted in someway to recall the spirit of the founder and he does this by remembering the first sisters of the Providence called “Elderly Sisters”.

1

The Derelitte House  1822

2

Orzano 1853

3

Portogruaro 1857

4

Nursery School Udine 1864

5

Cormons 1865-66

6

Primiero 1866

7

Tesero 1869

8

Trento 1876

9

Pergine 1882

10

Rovigno 1882

11

San Vito al Tagliamento 1883

12

Roncegno 1884

Udine – Via Luigi Scrosoppi – External front view of the present College of the Providence – ex. Derelitte House.

THE DERELITTE HOUSE  (Udine)  1822

The “Derelitte House” was established in 1815 in the ex. Florenzis house, property of Mr. Gio Batta Patavini; the director was Father Gaetano Salomoni.
In 1822, Father Carlo took on the direction and the obligation to personally pay the house rent.
In 1830, Father Luigi was nominated vice-director. With his ability to promote new house activities, he gave a new vigour and prospects to the house.
In 1833, thanks to an inheritance from the French abbot Lodovico Maria Berruye in favour of the “Derelitte House”; the house was finally purchased.
Due to many patients and inadequate space, he gave way to the reconstruction of the building which concluded in 1837.
The final result is a three-story house more bigger than it was before.
This house is still operative today as “College of the Providence” and is managed by the sisters of Father Luigi Scrosoppi.

Aerial view of the Orzano home 1998

ORZANO (Udine) 1853 

Orzano is a country village of about 8 kM east of Udine.

The house was first thought to be as a summer camp for the sisters and the orphans. It was also thought to accommodate the sick and weak orphans, which needed to be separated from the healthy ones to avoid possible infections and then would be sent back when their health was restored.
In 1853, Father Luigi thought that in Orzano, the sisters must even practise an apostolate. It is true that the hermit life in Orzano could be filled with prayer and work, but to the founder this was not enough; they must do good deeds. He therefore, established an elementary school for girls in the area. At that time there were not many villages that had this fortune. Father Luigi gave this gift to Orzano and he was the first teacher.

Civil hospital - Portogruaro

CIVIL  HOSPITAL OF PORTOGRUARO (Venice) 1857

In 1855, an epidemic of cholera stroke Udine and the sisters one by one were forced to the nearby humble villages where the people were dying and where medicine, hygiene and love were lacking.
Already in the cholera epidemic of 1836 and in other occasions, the sisters had demonstrated their ability to help the sick.  In 1857, they gave life in Udine, to an assistance project aimed to the deaf-mute girls. In that occasion, two sisters went to the canoissance of Venice in order to mature their capacity in assisting the deaf-mute and to teach them to express themselves so that they were ready to enter the society.
Monsignor Casanova, bishop of Concordia, had lived many years in Udine; he saw the institute of the Providence grow and admired the heroic sisters who were always smiling and that no hardships were enough for them; his invitation reverted to the congregation, in order that they take the responsibility for the sick of Portogruaro, was the sign of his high esteem. Father Luigi went, visited the hospital, prepared the arrival of the sisters that, in autumn of 1857, they entered as the responsible of this hospital.

Immaculate Kindergaten 1998

IMMACULATE  KINDERGARTEN (Udine) 1864 

The 1st of March 1838, a kindergarten was created in Via Prampero and was managed by 12 teachers with the spiritual and religious direction of Father Pietro Benedetti. In the beginning of this institute, reverted in favour of the poor children, was nominated the “Kindergarten of Charity”. The low family income of those poor children was not sufficient to pay the teachers for all the work they had to do. Father Benedetti, thought to give the direction to the maidservant of Charity, that gave their service for about ten years in the nearby hospital.
But those sisters who came from the Lombard region and not knowing the Friulian dialect, were not understood by the poor class children so they had to cease their activity.
Father Benedetti reverted himself to his friend, Father Luigi with which he came to an agreement. On July 31st 1864, the management passed onto the Sisters of the Providence and that were operative from August 1st of that same year.
The house in Via Prampero, had become very insufficient regarding space because there were many children and more requests of children that wanted to come.
In 1898, the mother superior general, Cecilia Piacentini, had decided to transfer the kindergarten in its present place, in front of the College of the Providence.

Rosa Mistica house

Cormons 1865-66 

In 1714, Orsola de Grotta, a noble woman of Cormons, established in her city a religious congregation denominated “Sisters of Charity of the Christian Doctrine”, and constructed a convent for them. Seventy years later, besides this building, a church was erected and dedicated to Saint Catherine.
Then came the Napoleonic hurricane. The first years of 1800’s the “Italic Kingdom” has extended to the Illyrian province, the convent was suppressed, the church was desecrated, both were sold on auction and were purchased by privates and were not utilized for various decenniums.
In 1864, the priest of Cormòns, Father Antonio Marocco, reverted himself to Father Luigi Scrosoppi in order to activate a project that was burning in his heart:  restore the life to the convent and to the church. Father Marocco probably had received news from one of his fellow friends, Father Banchich, with regards to the Sisters of the Providence and of their founder.
The negotiations took a favourable straight and they therefore passed to the agreement: On July 1st 1865, the Derelitte House of Udine, represented by Father Luigi and by the mother superior Teresa Fabris, had purchased from Mr. and Mrs. StuaMaghet almost the entire convent for 6000 florins, thanks to the generous offering of the baroness Ernesta Locatelli, born from the counts of Strassoldo.
On December 19, a sovereign law allowed the sisters to use the church of Saint Catherine, which was reopened to the religious cult.
In January 1866, Father Luigi went personally to Cormòns for the last preparations and the 23rd of that month the sisters gathered themselves in the public chapel of count Del Mestri, surrounded by the authoritative women, by the plebeian women and by a thick wave of people: the citizens of Cormòns were giving a feast to the beneficial guests.

Sewing School in Cormons (1920-1930)

Hospital of Primero

Primero 1866 

Primero is one of the well-known vacation areas in Trentino. In autumn of 1865, monsignor Teloni went up there for a mission. He suggested to Father Sartori, the parish-priest of Primero, to call the Sisters of the Providence in order to give life to the civil hospital. On October 18th, Father Sartori wrote his request to the sisters, which to his surprise, greatly accepted his request.
On November 15th, Father Sartori went down to Udine, where the next day, a contract draft was stipulated and signed by him, by Father Luigi, by the mother superior and which was immediately approved by the arch-Bishop, monsignor Casasola.
On February 3rd, 1866 four of the sisters accompanied by the general mother Strazzolini directed themselves to their new destination.
The economic and moral state of the hospital was on a “miserable level”. The hospital was lacking everything and the custody was given to a poor man who usually left the ill in an abandon state. Most of the ill died and that is the reason that no one wanted to be admitted there. The sisters never lost their daring, this is how they were brought-up by Father Luigi. Two months later, other sisters and teachers came, thus strengthening the hospital and moreover, they open a school, which the village was in need of.
The hospital was rearrange and improved. The number of ill started to increase and in 1866, there was an average of about 60 ill.
 

The hospitalised in Primero first years of 1900 

Hospital

Kindergarten (1910-1930)

Tesero 1869 

Tesero is one of the most antique villages of Val di Fiemme, in northern Trentino. Here there was only one hospital that served the whole valley area. The hospital was well organized, having 60 beds and in some circumstances even more. The hospital had it’s own priest and doctor. The management of the hospital was depended upon the Sisters of Maria Bambina that, for various problems, left the hospital in June 1869.

The dean of Cavalese, Father Corrado Mersa and doctor Crescini reverted themselves to Father Sartori, in order to have the sisters of the Providence <<Our every hope – said Dr. Crescini – is relied in you and we live confiding that through you, our hospital shall not be deprived of such human help, that is so right and hopefully shall not triumph any third party that would want to cancel any religious order. We are sure that you shall do whatsoever in your authority for this religious matter>>  Father Sartori sent this correspondence to Father Luigi that quickly replied with a letter of acceptation. The founder went to Cavalese for an on the spot investigation and to reach an agreement for this new obligation. The people were pressing themselves to him as if he were a saint and not only the people of Tesero were there, but also the people from the whole valley area. Following this visit there were two new vocations; two young girls, after their encounter with the founder they wanted to become part of the family of the sisters of the Providence.

 
Hospital S. Chiara

Old people’s home (first years of 1900) 

Trento 1876 

In the hospital of Trento there were the sisters of Maria Bambina that, due to incomprehensions left the hospital on May 1876. Father Giovanni Battista Depeder wrote in this way to Father Luigi «I have now all the hope that your well-deserving daughters, the sisters of the Providence can come; designated, as it seems to cover the places left empty by others».

The German party wanted the German sisters of Insbruck, while the liberal group didn’t at all want the sisters. But Father Depeder continued to write: «The nuns of Udine, of which their arrival is so talked in the city, shall be more than ever accepted by everyone. The German sisters are badly seen for many reasons».

Father Luigi after having consulted himself and reflected, he decided to leave for this new work, confiding the direction to sister Angela Rodaro, mother superior of Tesero. Sister Angela therefore, had to leave her little nest of Tesero, where she had conquered the esteem and affection of everyone, in order to enter, without fear or preoccupations, in Trento which was a hospital with various services and that bedded a total of about 250 ill.

Mental Hospital

MENTAL HOSPITAL OF PERGINE (Trento) 1882

There was the growing necessity of many hospitals solely designated to the mentally ill.  A big mental hospital was installed in the city of Hall, which excellently served the necessities of Tirolo superior and was entrusted to the sisters of Charity of Innsbruck.
A similar hospital was designed and activated in Pergine of Valsugana, to the benefit of that region that was then called «Tirolo inferior».
On January 14, 1881, sister Angela Rodaro informed Father Luigi that the assistance and service of this important institute would be offered to the sisters of the Providence. The official invitation was given on January 24, by the «provincial capitan» Bossi-Fedrigotti and on January 30th the mother superior, Piacentini, accepted this generally speaking.
The following months were dedicated to the actual project. It was necessary to give a decisive reply within July 1st: it was regarding to take care of the kitchens, the linen and laundry room, the wardrobe and the custody of the women’s ward.
In the night of August 18, 1882, the mother superior, Piacentini, arrived with 12 sisters to which were added the other 5 sisters sent there one month ahead, under the guide of sister Giuditta De Francesco.
The house which was still clean and whitely bright plastered, started to populate itself. The ill from Hall and of Santa Chiara hospital of Trento were starting to come and the sisters employed themselves with great eager. The sisters were all young girls, the oldest was 31 yrs. old and they didn’t have all that specific experience, but with their great willingness and sacrifice they overcame many difficulties, thus receiving great admiration and gratitude from everyone.
More than ever, the formation given by Father Luigi to his spiritual sisters emerged in it’s full brightness.

Nursey School

Rovigno 1882 

On March 19, 1881, the distinguished missionary monsignor Giovanni Maria Teloni wrote to Father Luigi: «I am writing on Saint Joseph’s day for a project that I have placed in the hands of Saint Joseph; and I’m writing to you, my dearest father, knowing that you are devoted to this saint and the question I make is for the love of Saint Joseph. All circumstances that make me hope for an easy result». Monsignor Teloni continued asking the sisters of the Providence for 3 projects in Rovigno d’Istria. The projects where nonetheless than, one hospital, one nursery school and an oratory for the 700 working women of the <<Tobacco Factory>>. Father Luigi quickly understood the good works that would have come out from these projects and positively replied.
Father Luigi wanted personally to find a house for the sisters; he left Udine on February 9th 1882, stayed over night in Trieste and the next day at 7 a.m. in company with Father Andrea Ghira, who came from Rovigno to meet him, both took the steamboat towards the new residence of the sisters.
Father Luigi once wrote: «God calls the sisters in a vineyard which, well cultivated, shall give much fruit and for which I can see, the sisters may leave on Saint Joseph’s day» that is on April 30th, 1882.

 
Hospital of  S. Maria dei Battuti

HOSPITAL «S. Maria dei Battuti» of S. Vito al Tagliamento 1883 

The working field of the sisters of the Providence had even spread to San Vito al Tagliamento, which is a beautiful city, 18 km from Portogruaro.  The sisters were enormously renowned under the direction of Cristina Borghese. The sisters encountered the resistance of the anticlerical figures, that were very present at that time, but nonetheless, the sisters started their activity on July 1st, 1883. The first mother superior was, Eletta Valussi and on July 28,  Father Luigi expressed himself in his letter as follows: «The hospital of S. Vito al Tagliamento is proceeding very well».

Roncegno 1884

During the year 1883, the parish priest of Roncegno in Valsugana, Father Alessio Pretis,  re-took his papers, already attempted in 1870 to have the sisters of the Providence in the local small hospital. This time it went well.
Sister Angela Rodaro, mother superior of Trento, till September 7th,  wrote that the mother superior of Udine would grant only 3 sisters and that she would have further on made a visit. She visited them on December 23, 1883 and reconfirmed the assignation of 4 sisters rather than 3 as stated before under strict conditions. Father Alessio accepted them with his letter dated February 21st and wished that the arrival of the sisters be right after Easter, which that year was on April 14. The death of the founder hindered their arrival. The sisters only arrived to Roncegno around the end of 1884 and the first mother superior of that community was sister Saveria Pascolatti.
Father Luigi also hoped within July 1883, to send the sisters to Pirano to assume the services in that poor people’s home. It was one year that Father Giacomo Bonifacio, native of Pirano, was then in charge of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso Church in Trieste. The home fell in the hands of the zealous Bonifacio and this circumstance, with the excellent out-come of the sisters in Rovigno, made the sisters more wanted then before in Pirano. There were many liberals in that city <<like in Rovigno, but it seemed like there were many more people – wrote Father Giacomo – these people are far off from valuing the services of the angels of charity, however, very appreciated by the Turks>> The organizer put all he had in this, but unfortunately the party against the religious congregation won. The Sisters of the Providence entered the home for the poor of Pirano only in 1900 and they stayed there fifty years. They were exiled from Pirano after the last world war.

SISTERS OF THE PROVIDENCE
 

FIRST CENTENARY
1845 – 1945