Foundress

The Clarist Franciscan Missionaries of the Most Blessed Sacrament (CFMSS) – the new congregation founded by mother Seraphina and officially approved by Rome, came into being on May 1, 1898 opening branch houses in various parts of Italy and abroad.

On February 3, 1901 four young sisters set sail for INDIA in order to serve the women and destitute children in the Gangetic plain. They initiated their mission at Sardhana, taking care of a Welfare Home for girls.

Three years later a school was opened at Meerut and an orphanage at Agra in 1912. On May 30, 1907 four zealous missionaries sailed for Brazil with the specific aim of educating the tribal people in the backwoods of Minas Gerais, Itambacury (1907), Diamantina (1907) and Concecao (1970) – all home the Xavatos, Pugixao, Bugre and other woodsmen, became the scene of the educative/medical activities of the CFMSS.

When the earthquake of 1908 rendered many a child homeless, Seraphina opened welfare Centres to shelter the orphaned girls. Medical Care became a regular feature of the mission of the CFMSS, ever since Italy entered the First World War.

However, Seraphina’s avowed aim was the education of the girl child. Her education policy was geared to the integral formation of the pupils with Stress on character training and practical skills in the fine arts and household works. She always urged the teachers to be role models to the pupils by their comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter, effective teaching methods and above all by the example of their own upright character. She insisted too, on the teachers’ ”keeping themselves abreast of scientific progress, new findings and whatever can contribute to sharpen their intellect.” Mother Seraphina – a person of frail constitution since her entry into religion, passed away after a prolonged illness on June 18, 1917.