FATHER TOMMASO LODOVICO MANINI

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CHaprEnI
SEEDS
OFLIGHT

On the bicentennial of the birth of Father

TommasoLodovico Manini, we, the Daughtersof
Divine Providence,are revisiting the sacredrerrain
of our origins. Our hearts are filled with emorion
and gratitude, in the certainty that those seedsof
light are still charged with a vital force and a
prophecyfor today. Our origins bear his name, and
it is of little imporrance if the biographical
information is fragmentaryand at times mysterious.
\Uhat counts for us is to know that we had a father,
a teacher, an impassioned and tenacious guide,
despitethe many deeply-felt contradicrions.
!7e are not seeking this father in the past, in a
grateful but far-off memory. We know that he is
before us, he is near us to help us to read the signs
 of the times and respondto the new proposalsof
rhe Spirit with that radicalnessand fidelity that
markedhis whole life.
FatherManini wasbom in ReggioEmilia on May 7,
lsr13. At the ageof 19 he askedto be admitted into
rhe Congregationof the RegularClergy of St. Paul;
z the tbllowing year he solemnly professedhis
z
relieiousvows in the family of the Bamabites.
-\tter finishing his studies of Philosophy and
(:
Theolog in Rome, a brief stay in Naples as a
z teacher of Rhetoric and at the College of San
Dalmr:o in Tirrin, he returned to Rome and was
electedparish rector of San Carlo ai Catinari.
a
That rvasin 1829.Father Manini was26 and had
all the enthusiasm in his heart of a yourh
ct-rDS€Cr?ted to God and the charismaticfire of his
Fr-runder:"...the Crucified Christ wiII send Jou to Every day Father Manini would walk though the
pnxlaim a spiritual uiuacity and the liuing spirit streetsthat come out into Campo dei Fiori, the
ever;u,here".l roads that led to the nearby PiazzaVenezia; he
In rhe historical center of Rome, the young parish would penetrate into the most hidden alleys
priest soon came into contact with its shocking where the squawking and cries of the helpless
social and spiritual degradarion: "The districtwas children rang out.
rhe dzn of disorderlycommonpeoplewho uied with His heart shudderedat the sight; he could not
those of Tiasteuere and Monti for the record in resign himself to just look; he could not limit
fierceness".We understand aswe continue reading himselfto preaching;he felt he had to give hls life.
the history of the times, that such "fierceness" In imitation of Jesus,dead and arisen, which
ret-erred to the poorest people who were constitutes the heart of Pauline spirituality, he
constantly strugglingfor survival. knew he was called to "lose his own life" and he
prepared himself to accept the project of love
S. ANroNIo M. Zncc,qRln,LetteraIV, Rome 1975,p. 50. which Providencewould reveal to him.
 At the time he could neither imagine the scope CHaprrn II
norforesee its price, but there he was,immersedin ROADSTHATMEET
prayer, in the shadow of a confessional.
J,rst few steps from San Carlo, in the parish
"
community of Santa Lucia alle Botteghe Oscure,a
- family lived on whom God's predilection resred.
z It was a simple, hard-working family, a profoundly
z Christian family that lived the Word of God and
tmsted in Him.
The youngesr daughter made her First
z Communion in the Pia Casa del Bambino Gesu
near St. Mary Major and she completed her
L
sndies in the school of the Maestre Pie Venerini
z
at the Arco dei Ginnasi. in her oarish and the
nearby churches she was given charge with the
greatest confidence of catechesis for the little In the first half of the nineteenth cenrury, we
children. Her name was Elena Bettini and she cannot saythat schoolswere lacking in Rome. But
was fifteen yearsold. times were tough and many things had changed
following the historical events we all know. The
schools were run by a liberal and fundamentally
secular State which also intervened in the relief,
charitable and educational works that belonged to
the Church.
The school Father Manini dreamed of for the
poorest little girls in his parish was very different.
The school of Providence had to be completely
free of charge, free from influential persons or
interestedprotectors; it had to be a school without
those human supporters who, sooner or later,
created dependency. It had to be a school that

:repared for hfe and thus also for typically
:eminine rvork in view of the family.
Fut u-ith u'har meanswould he achievethis? And
'.rhat ptrrver could he count on? He entrusted
-ie.e questionseach morning to the Mother of
Drr-rneProvidence and watched for the signs of
G.rl's will along the paths of everydaylife. We do
..s lntr\\' if he confided all this to anyone. Some
projectsthat are "built on air" arenaturally avoided
or ridiculed. Human prudence,which is always
calculating,requireslimits.
Father Manini was roo young to be taken
seriously. Who would get invoived ln an
adventureof this size?But God's eyeswere set on
a simple and small crearurewho was completely
open to Grace,and he waswaiting for the hour of
their appointmenr to do great things with
her. Samuelwassupposedto consecrateone of the
sons of Jesseas King, but none of them were
pleasingto God. Only the youngesrson waslefr, a
slight little boy,who took the flock to graze."Arise
and anointhim; it is he".
One day,we do not know when, asthe Roman sky
suddenlyturned dark and it startedpouring, Elena
Bettini found refugeright there in the church of
San Carlo. The rain continued, so she walked
into the large beautiful church and stopped ro
pray before the sweet image of the Mother of
Divine Providence. Then she saw rhe small
confessionallight and knek down.
"Elenacould.not ignorethecharmthat.emanatedfrom
that paternal, majesricfigure of the fully-grown
religiouswho was both auerseto the worl.d'sfashions
and din, secludedin prayer and study,and yet -
precise\for thisreason- socloseto thespiritual needs
of souls.ShehadcertainlJ attendedtheseruices atthe
Barnabitesof San Coilo, which were often solemn,
attendedby both great and modestpersonages.She
 mrlir h41'ehecwdat least somecyclesof preachingby
luse religiousand perhapsthls crasenoughto irnprint
--,nrhe \oung womlrl7'ssoula feeling of respectand
;cpndnbility which the religiousof San Carlo were
,-;rpuble in thosewho associated
oi cwousing with them,
n"J oi u'hichobuiousproof wes the Catinari parish
-inJ relrgroushouse,a cenacleof cuhure and piety
hraughoutthe nineteenthcentury".'
Elena Bettini did not know that it was Father
2 \{anini in the confessional,but sheopenedup her
heart to him. Being an expert spiritual director,
*re parish rector noticed the girl's transparency
anJ inner freedom; he recognizedthe signs of
z
GoJ's passagein her life and felt a new hope grow
i -
in him.
-Llrhough \rery young and inexperienced,Elena
Benini sharedhis samepassionfor education;she
hal a dream in her heart and would soon realize
rhat there was Someone waiting for her.
Er-enthing happenedso quickly: on September8,
lill. threeyoungwomenViolante Parigiani,Luisa
\{isliacci and ElenaBettini receivedthe habit from
Ferher TornmasoManini which would distinguish
rhem as "Daughtersof Divine Providence".
F..r the time being they were "the young nuns of
San Carlo", and on November 21st of that same
i= -..-- \ 1. P.rc.lNo, ht cann per le f anciulle poverefra Tiastevere
: . {-.r:rlr : il sorgere deLI'opera di Elpnn Betani.
year, the first school was opened with them, the
schoolthey wanted so much. FatherManini found
a house, albeit poor and unadorned, and there
were rooms for the school although they lacked
many necessarythings. "Via dei Falegncnni is a sight
ouerflowingwith common tuomen with their ill-
manneredand noisydnughters".t But very soon an
even greater sight filled the people from the
neighborhood with wonder: "The sight of the
numerolts,morermd more disciplinedschoolgirlswho
attendedSanCarlo everydrrycaused&rreoJen greeter
Iiking for the new institution so that uerJ soon,
becauseof the Inck of rooms, regisuationhad to be
closed".a
There was one observeramong the people who
camefrom the nearbyCollegio Romano, together
with somefriends, just to enjoy "fhe edifyingsightof
theyoungnunsleadingalongline of glrlsinto chtnch".
It wasMsgr.RaffaeleSirolli, our "Angei Consoler",
as Elena Bettini would call him, the greatestand
most belovedbenefactorof the Institute.
A year had not passedsince the foundation when
Father Manini informed the Holy Father about it
directly:
"Under the protection of Mosr Holy Mary of
Providence,in the parishof SanCarlo ai Catinan, a
' L. M. MaNzrNyI-a Seruadi Dio SuorMmia Ebna Bernnl,Rome
1946,p. 14.
4L. M. MaNztNt,op. cit., p. 75.
 rdrml has beenerected. Three personssetthe stone Cnaprrn III
of rtis builting. . . They joined togetherand in only one EVERYONE
IS NOT ABLETO UNDERSTAND
$irit ui with only one heart they setto work. The
grrld-J lave setfor themselues is theeducationof the
t: mosf abandoned and endangering or
fr
F
Wrest,
& endmgnen girk: in brief, society'srejects.At present
!4
z thsre are eighttearhersto whom another ten or twel.ve
z
uwlir uery much to be alded who haue already so
rc4rcstcd. They saw and see, with inexpressible
tr
@
corwlalirn, tJvir piousintention blessedby G od in the
z ttttrl wretched,miserableg1rls,gatheredup from public
G
@ fororrnhs ar roads...who attend their schools,are
F
tr
r
grdually shawingthnttheyarelearning,togetherwith
fem of God, tlrcpracticeof Chnstianvirtues...".
F
Every work of God experiences the desert, trial,
toil, temptation and often persecution. Father
Manini saw the birth of Via dei Falegnami,No.
58, the first free school in Rome for the poorest
girls. He drew up its program, set the weekly
schedule and divided up the tasks and
responsibilities. He was already rhinking about a
Rule for the small religious community. The
Superior was Volante Parigiani who had all the
requisitesand was a few yearsolder than the 18
year old Elena Bettini. SisterMaria Violante was
a woman of prayer,a strong woman capableof any
sacrifice.a woman who loved.
"At Inst a school,although brutd new, hns been
openedby sometearherscalled 'of Proq)idence' who
.;,.. :,. : contmunitywith a particularrule thnthasstill
'-. : :.err approved.Their Institutionaimsat teaching
:" - -rrls religton, ql,omen'swork and the first
..:".;rrr-.. and rheyabsolutely want to bepoor andfor
-..::;ng m the world wiII they take the slightesr
-- ":::rr-i.rriortfor theirefforts".'
.- iheir elementary schools "filled with 200
'-.;::-r,-.",thel'soonaddednurseryschoolsand day
:. -.:.eries.
i:-n-L rhe tirst rulesoutlined by FatherManini, the
r -rrtrse .'lf the Work was clear: "While the Sisters
r.:., r,ill be admittedto this Institutewill striueto
-..,-.-rr-.stat united to the Lord through constant
r--:'..T. ihel ruill make unceasingefforts for the
.r:-.;:,ri ntd temporalbenefitof thepoor g1rls" .
^: rLiil not be possibleto open a house without
. i:-::.i-.hingan entirelyfree schooltherefor poor girls,
--':; :h: poorerrheyare, themore theywillbe entitled
: :: ,iimirred".
---. - tbr the admission of young women to
- :.ecrated life, in anticipatingthe times,Father
l"l:-lni Jid not askfor a dowry. The poorestgirls
::-l al:tr he accepted,provided they
i-:t..nsrrated, like the others, an authentic
-.
-iltkrfl-
l-i n'ever.in seeingthe number of young women
::--''r' Jai' bv day, despite the rigorous poverty of
::-r Institute and the full-time work, Father
- ,, \1--i.cHtrt, ir-ran 1842publication.
realizedthat he needed help and urgently asked
for a housefor the Novitiate. In 1833he wrore to
the Holy Father and expressedhis heart'sdesire:
"Knowing that todq for many Joungwomencalledto
a secludedlife outsiderheworld the lackof meansis a
greatimpediment,and that in mostmon&steries in this
city, indeed in all of them, thosewho are born
commonersare excluded,(the Daughtersof Di+tine
Prouidence) trustingin God'sinfiniteprouidence, and
looking only at the proof of virrue, do not askfor
dowriesand do not rejectanyone.
A monasteryis really Lackingwhich embracesall the
conditionsand doesnot look at fortune, where the
only patrimonywill be a sincereLtocation. ..
This reflectionand the sightof thisgood mouesme to
begYourHohnessfor a pb.ce,ewenif it is smalland
lacksconveniences, in which to put. the postulantsas
in a Nouitiate, and to let them experiencetheir
uocationthere".
Providenceusedmysterioushands or well-known
facesto give abundantly,but it alwaysleft great
room for the young nuns' sacrificesand privations.
Sometimes Providence was silent so that faith
would grow and trust would increase.
One morning, after days of painful waiting and
unanswered prayers, when the workers were
threatening to stop the work on the school, right
after celebratingMass,Father Manini saw a small
forgotten parcel in the sacristy:it was the sum
neededto Davthe workers.
 Sometimes the breath of evil became blood-
s curdling, but only to make the work grow,
abandoned solely to the Father's loving
Providence. The Father who covers the fields
with flowers and doesnot forget the birds in the
skv.took care of them.
Cowards would cry, "How is it possibleto found a
work like this recklessly,without a pennJ, with no
supportl" "An Institutebuik on air...with no one's
support,is destinedto crumble".
This would have happened,but the real paternity
of the work went back to Divine Providence.
Therefore,it is understandablethat Elena Bettini,
at the proposal to open a house, the second ryg
qW
Mother house of the Institute, in an ill-reputed
district like Testaccio,simply said, "This is a work ;;
for us".
She had learned from Father Manini to counr
solely on the Providential Presenceof God the
Father, to do His will with daughterly love, to
experiencethe poverty of the leastones by being
always at their service in the most devastated
places.
In the letter dated 1836 regarding a proposed
foundation, Father Manini would not hide the
fact that the Institute was founded "on surch
uncertain bases",but he immediately explained:
"1 say uncertain accordingto man - but a most
certain, most solid, unfailable, eternal foundation
according to God. Howeuer, with great prudence
 snetimes rhe Superiorsbasetheiriudgnent on the CrnprsnIV
fornm andrctonthelatter". . YOU BELONG TO GOD

One day, when he had to present a brief

!-- 'identikit" of his daughters, he gave them onlY
two characteristics: "They are poor...md they litte
z erfirely abandonedto theFather'slouingProuidence" '
The whole force of our origins rests on this'
z 'Blessedare thosewho trust in God ad do not think
aburt tmnonow, but sleepconfidentlyin the arms of
z dw l-ard'sPaternalProuidence" .u

L
The wonder lies here, the secret is found only in
&
z
faith, but not everyone is able to understand this.

One evening in October 1835, Father Manini,

suddenly aged by the weight of what he was about
to tell his daughters,enteredthe little houseon Via
dei Falegnami.
Perhaps, in the hopes of ending that "pusecution
whichhadurdub tned the holy Fowdn' s patience"T, he
had askedto be exonerated from the office of parish
rector, but he had to leave for Turin.
The pages that record those days are heart-
rendering. Suddenly, after only three years, while
still in the midst of storms and questions,he, "the
prouiAer,dw father, the cunfort, the gtidp"a was no
longer there.

6Letter ftom Vercelli dated October 28' 1847 7/8From the memoirs of Via dei Faleenami.
 Father Manini had already entrusted them to the
SuperiorGeneralof his Congregation;he beggedhis
contreresto supportthe work which he caredabout
more than life; he paid the rent for three yearsin
advanceand had to leave.
S4neredid he find the words of comfort for himself
and his daughters if not in faith? "The thaught of
z
lrn*g n go awayfrom youwouldbethe firstand main
z
rlrorrglrt thnt couU" sadden me if the Inrd, in His
goodness, &d not moq)eme n put aLImy hopesin Him" .
z He rvasliving the highest moment of "gluinglife"
and rvanted to state humbly that he was not the
Father, but just an instrument in the hands of
Pror-idence.It wasGod'swill that countedand he
z
crruld accept it, even without undersmnding it.
_a On this rock he had founded the Institute, the
name he chose had to be precisely "Daughters of
Divine Providence".These daughtershad such a
hearrfelt desire to do God's will, above all and
despiteeverything,that until our times, the echo
.'rf this abbreviation that opened every letter has
come down to us:
PPPADDV (for the most perfect fulfillment of
Dvine Will).
That eveningthe moment had come to give witness
rith his life and with a heart that wasbreaking'
-{tter blessingthem one by one, Father Manini's
parring words stayed in their hearts: "You do not
L"k^s n yotaselues nor to enJone else:you belongto
God".
"The loorcyou hnuefor the Lord will teachand moue
you in your generousundertakingso that you will be
able to say with the sacredbride: My loq.ted one is
entirelymine anA I am entirelyHis, and I do nothing
exceptto pleaseHim" .
"Befaithful to the Bndegroom,courageous in aduersity,
fiIlzd with zealfcn the goodof yorn neighbor. Let rhere
be chmity and union unong you, chmityfor eweryone.
Keepchmityin mind"now and"foreuer".n
Providencechooseswhomever it wants, and every
mission has its own time: some are called to sow,
some to inigate the soil, some to gather the fruits.
Some are called at the first hour, someat noon, and
somein the evening. Time belongsto Providence,
and it is not the length of life that counrs,bur rhe
intensity of the love that is given gratuitouslyafter
receiving it gratuitouslyfrom God's Heart.
Do not be afraid of tomorrow; do not be wonied
aboutthis or that. The Fatherknowswhat you need:
"Lookat hebirds in the sl<J.Theyda notsowor reapcn
gatlwr into banr; yet yow heauenlyFatlwr feedsthem.
Are you not worth mrtrh mcnethnn theyme? Can any
of you, fcn aII his worrying, aAdone sinfu cubit n his
sPanof life? And why wcnryabout cbthingl Think of
thefbwers growingin the fields;theyneuerhnueto wark
or spm;)et I lssLLre yu that not euenSolomonm all his
regaliawa robedlikeorw of these.Now rf that is how
oL. M. MeNzrNt,op. cit.,p. 17.
Gd ctotlws rlw grrssin thefiellswhichis herendaymd
dvanminn ti fimare tomorrow,wiILhBrct rrnrch
mrneknk after you, Joumenof Littlefoith? Sodn rct
nun)'; dn rnt say,'Whnt mewen eat?Whntmewen
drh;ftlHow&rewenbe clnthedl'his tlwpagmswho
s tlwir hem-s onaLLthesethings'Yowheauenly Fadwr
hronasyourced themaLL' Setyow hearsrm His
Wrgdt; first,ud on His nghteousness, ad all these
willbeg'venyoua well" 'to
oller t)'ungs
To peopletoday and yesterday,who are
alwaYsconcemed about the future
and too often feel anxietY,
anguish and trePidation
about something theY
are always lacking to
be h"ppy, Jesus
'oMt6,26'33.
continues to offer this wonderful imageof the birds
in the sky and the flowers in the field.
The Daughtersof Divine Providence are called to
be creaturesof hope and trust, creatureswho entrust
themselvesto the Father'sloving Providencewith
the simplicity of children.
The priority searchfor the Kingdom of God frees
the heart from all anxiety about the future, from
any worries about today's efforts, and creates a
"resefved" inner spacethat no concerns can reach
because it is inhabited by the Providential
Presenceof God.
This was the heart of the new charisma which the
Holy Spirit was giving to his Church in the hands
of Father Tommaso Manini and Mother Elena
Bettini.