The Renaissance Said “No School For Girls”; Saint Angela Merici Said “Watch Me”

We trace Saint Angela Merici’s bold vision for teaching girls during the Renaissance and why her Eucharist-centered model still renews families, schools, and parishes today. From early trials to the founding of the Ursulines and their expansion, we show how study and prayer form saints.

• barriers to girls’ education in the Renaissance
• Angela’s early life, Franciscan devotion and call
• founding the Company of Saint Ursula
• the first lay teaching order for girls
• Eucharist-centred catechesis and daily prayer
• spiritual motherhood and leadership in education
• facing opposition with humility and fidelity
• spread of Ursuline schools across Europe
• practical renewal for homes, schools and parishes

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Saint Angela Merici Media Collection

Open by Steve Bailey

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And App Announcement
• 0:47 Why Saint Angela Merici Matters
• 3:05 Renaissance Barriers To Girls’ Education
• 4:45 A Call To Renew Catholic Life
• 7:09 Early Life And Vocation
• 9:38 Founding The Company Of Saint Ursula
• 11:53 The First Lay Teaching Order For Girls
• 14:13 Eucharist-Centered Catechesis
• 16:37 Forming Young Women For Apostolic Service
• 18:50 Spiritual Motherhood And Leadership
• 21:08 Prayer And Study Woven Together
• 23:19 Facing Civil And Church Opposition
• 25:47 Ursuline Expansion Across Europe
• 28:09 Call To Action And Closing Blessing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:11

Hello family, welcome to Journeys of Faith Super Saints Podcast at Brother Joseph Fryaldenhoven here at your service. Be sure to look at the description for special information of interest to you. And before I get started, did you know you can access this podcast with our new app? You you can just go to the Apple App Store and search for Journeys of Faith. The app is free and has many features you will enjoy. Saint Angela Mercy. Teaching Christ to Girls, how she revolutionized Catholic education. The story of Saint Angela Merice is not merely a chapter in church history, it is a radiant torch for today's Catholic evangelists, catechists, and parents striving for the sanctification of the next generation. Centuries before Catholic education became synonymous with convent schools and dedicated teaching orders, Angela Merisi, driven by a burning zeal for Christ and unwavering obedience to the magisterium, answered God's call to shape the future of the church through the souls of young girls. At a time when their education was neglected and their dignity overlooked, Saint Angela responded, inspired by grace with the courage and vision that only heavenly wisdom could bestow, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven, Matthew 5.16. Angela's life is a living witness to these words. With the Eucharist as her heart source and summit, she established the company of Saint Ursula, the world's first teaching order for women, kindling a revolution that has sanctified generations. Her story is a fervent reminder that true Catholic education does more than impart knowledge. It forms saints for heaven. At Journeys of Faith, our mission mirrors Saint Angela Mercy's holy passion, to bring souls ever closer to Christ and His Church, equipping today's faithful, especially through the treasures of the Eucharist, the lives of the saints, and loyal obedience to the magisterium for eternal life. As we explore how Saint Angela Mercy revolutionized Catholic education, let us be inflamed with her spirit, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, Philippians 3 14, and carry her legacy into every Catholic home, classroom, and heart. The Renaissance context of women's education in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries marked a turning point in Western civilization, a time when the classical glow of the Renaissance revealed both breathtaking artistic heights and deep societal divides. In this deep electrified era, education was increasingly celebrated as a pathway to truth, and yet that pathway was all too often blocked for women. The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Proverbs fourteen one. But what if she was denied even the blueprints? For most noble women, instruction meant etiquette, sewing, perhaps a smattering of Latin always under careful male supervision. If a girl was poor, the gates to learning were bolted shut. She might never hold a book, much less study scripture or the church fathers. Intellectual ambition among girls was discouraged, even feared, as if knowledge itself could threaten the structures of home, parish, and peace. In city after city, monasteries and cathedrals displayed treasures of illuminated manuscripts and sacred wisdom, but these treasures were reserved for men. The Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, Catechism 132, was proclaimed from every pulpit, yet many Catholic girls were kept from the fullness of understanding Christ in word and sacrament. Into this void stepped Saint Angela Mercy, inspired not only by the promptings of the Holy Spirit, but also by the revolutionary imperative of the gospel. Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Matthew 19, 14. Angela dared to imagine a world where young women could approach Christ with both heart and intellect. Her vision was bold, countercultural, and steeped in the passionate conviction that every baptized soul, regardless of gender, was called to holiness through knowledge, sacrament, and service. Join journeys of faith. Embrace Saint Angela Mercy's legacy today. If you feel the fire of Saint Angela Mercy's passion for Christ igniting your heart, now is the time to answer the call. A new era of Catholic renewal is rising, faithful, Eucharist centered, loyal to the magisterium, fueled by the same zeal that animated the saints, journeys of faith invites you to walk this sanctifying path with us. Explore our curated collection of books, DVDS, ebooks, and audio books. Immerse yourself in the timeless wisdom and inspiration of the saints, experience virtual pilgrimages to holy sites, including sanctuaries connected to Saint Angela Merisi, and the Eucharistic miracles that transformed our founders' lives. Shop Catholic gifts, statues, medals, novenas, and holy cards at up to 50% off with free shipping on orders over$18, supporting our nonprofit, heaven-focused mission. Sign up for exclusive discounts, daily spiritual offers, and our rewards program. Make your devotion go further and help spread the faith. Support our mission with every purchase, fueling evangelization, sanctification, and loyalty to Mother Church in the spirit of the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. Catechism 132. Let's press onward together. As Saint Paul wrote, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3 14. Discover, evangelize, and grow with journeys of faith. The path to heaven begins today. Angela Mercy's early life and call to holiness born in 1474 in De Cenzano del Garda, a small Italian village overlooking Lake Garda, Saint Angela Merisi entered a world steeped in both the beauty and turbulence of the late medieval church. From her earliest years, Angela's soul thirsted for the things of God, quietly awakening to the reality that every authentic joy is rooted in Christ. Like the wise virgins in the parable, she kept her lamp trimmed, longing for the bridegroom. Compare Matthew 25, 1 to 13. Tragedy visited Angela's young life when her parents died, leaving her an orphan, yet even in that valley of shadow, her heart clung to the Lord. She was raised by an uncle, but her true schooling came from prayer, fasting, and tireless service to the poor. Angela's love for the Eucharist was already setting her apart. Just as our Savior taught, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, Matthew 5.8, she pursued purity and simplicity with evangelical fervor. Angela's devotion deepened as she consecrated her life by joining the Third Order of Saint Francis. Her commitment was not just external, it was a burning interior consecration, a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, Romans 12 1. Even as a teenager, she was known for her radiant charity, austere self-denial, and works of mercy among the most forgotten souls of her village. Through visions and mystical experiences, Angela felt the unmistakable call of heaven, to bring Christ to young women in a world adrift, to form them in true wisdom anchored in the gospel and unwavering faithfulness to the church. Inspired by Saint Matthew's charge, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, Matthew 28 19, she began gathering girls in humble settings to teach them the truths of the faith and the boundless love of Jesus. Angela Meracy's witness was a beacon in a generation starved for authentic holiness. She shows us that the path to sanctity begins not in palaces or universities, but in humble fidelity, luminous prayer, and a soul on fire to make Christ known in love. Founding the company of Saint Ursula, the Holy Spirit blazed a new path for women's sanctification through the courageous witness of Saint Angela Mercy. In a world where education was reserved primarily for men and religious cloisters, Angela heard Christ's call echoing in her in her echoing in her soul, compelling her to serve the least of these, a Matthew 2540. Determined not just to reform but to revolutionize, she founded the Company of Saint Ursula in 1535, the first institute for the religious education of young women living in the world. Her vision was breathtakingly radical for its time. Lay women would consecrate themselves to Christ and each other while remaining in their family homes, forming a spiritual sisterhood devoted to teaching and the sanctification of souls. With Ursuline hearts, these women would become vessels of Christ's love, nurturing faith and virtue in future generations of Catholic girls. Those who instruct many to justice shall shine as stars for all eternity. In Angela's vision, this promise lit an unquenchable fire that spread beyond Brescia and across the church. Angela wrote a rule that burned with gospel truth and fidelity to the magisterium. The company's members bound themselves by sacred promise, pledging purity, obedience, charity, and Eucharistic devotion, all under the patronage of Saint Ursula, Virgin and Martyr, Catholic Europe took notice here was a path not only to practical learning and spiritual literacy, but to heaven itself. In an era yearning for renewal, Angela's company trained girls to be mothers of saints and apostles steadfast in the faith. Her legacy endures in every classroom where Christ's love is taught to young women and unbroken chain of sanctity linking each generation to Calvary and the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, you know, Catechism 132, first laid teaching order for girls. Against the backdrop of Renaissance upheaval and a church in need of reform, Saint Angela Merisi heard the unmistakable call of the divine teacher in 1535, fired by an evangelical zeal that could not be quenched. She founded the Company of St. Ursula, an unprecedented institute of consecrated women who lived in the world not behind cloistered walls. This was not just another religious order, it was the first lay teaching order for girls, freely assembling women from all walks of life and social classes to nurture the spiritual and intellectual souls of young girls. At a time when the education of girls was often a denied grace, Saint Angela cast her net wide, reaching into the very heart of homes and parishes. Her insight echoed the wisdom of Proverbs. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22, six. Angela's sisters did not don habits or renounce their homes. Instead, imitating Christ's own incarnational love, they entered the world as leaven beacons of chastity, prayer, and charity. Through inspired catechesis, these lay women brought girls to know Jesus intimately, instilling a love for the Eucharist as the source and summit of our faith in Catechism 132 and illuminating the path to sanctification. Saint Angela's vision was clear. Every Christian girl is called to know Christ, to love the church, and to walk the narrow road to heaven. In a climate often hostile to female intellect and sanctity, she ensured the faith would be steadfastly handed down. If you love him, you will find no labor too hard, no task too difficult. Compare first John 5 3. The ripple effects of this bold spiritual innovation still resound across the centuries, an enduring testimony to courage, orthodoxy, and the liberating power of education in the fullness of Catholic truth. Say just catecesis rooted in Eucharistic devotion. Saint Angela Mercy's educational revolution was neither rooted in mere academics nor the passing on of skills for temporal success. At the very heart of her catechesis was an unwavering devotion to the most holy Eucharist. For Saint Angela instructing young women meant guiding them not only to knowledge, but to the one who is the source of all truth and life, Jesus Christ, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. She firmly believed, echoing the words of our Savior, I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. John 6.51. This Eucharistic centered catechesis is itself an echo of heaven's call to sanctification, to becoming saints, to be conformed to Christ through sharing in his body and blood. Saint Angela's method was revolutionary for her era, a time when women's education was scarce and spiritual formation even scarcer. She directed the girls entrusted to her care to participate in the Mass, to receive our Lord with reverence, and to spend time in adoration, fostering an intimate friendship with Christ that would illumine their entire lives. Her educational mission thrived because it was not separated from the liturgy, but rather flourished within the very life of the church. She taught that the Eucharist is not an abstract theology, it is our pathway to heaven. So the source and summit of the Christian life, Catechism 1324, to seek knowledge devoid of the Eucharist is to study in shadows. Saint Angel invited every girl to the dazzling light of Jesus in the sacramental mystery to receive not only lessons, but the teaching heart of God Himself. And this is the beating pulse of Catholic catechesis, knowledge ordered to communion, formation that climaxes at the altar. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. John 6 56. In every classroom under Saint Angela's direction, the tabernacle remained the silent teacher and the presence of Jesus the ultimate aim. What greater gift could any teacher bestow empowering young women for apostolic service? Saint Angela Mercy's vision burned with a holy fire for the sanctification of souls, especially the souls of young women. In an age when girls' education was often neglected or even dismissed as unnecessary, Saint Angela boldly proclaimed bowing a countercultural gospel truth. Every soul, no matter how humble, is called to greatness in Christ. Her radical fidelity to the church shines in her founding of the company of St. Ursula in 1535, an entirely new form of consecrated life rooted in Eucharistic devotion and living testimony to Christ's love. Saint Angela gathered ordinary girls and ignited in them an extraordinary desire for holiness, instilling the truth of 1 Timothy 412. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Under her guidance, these women were not only educated but transformed, disciplined in virtue, rooted in doctrine, and equipped for apostolic action. Saint Angela's model was not just academic but profoundly spiritual. She urged her daughters to receive the sacraments frequently, to meditate on the life of Christ and to act as mothers of souls, building a civilization of love from within the heart of the church, and Saint Angela's shining example testifies the path to heaven is open wide for every young woman who courageously answers Christ's call. Her legacy is an urgent summons echoing through the centuries, dare to sanctify society by first sanctifying your own soul, as the Lord promised in Jeremiah 29, 11. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. With courage, grace, and total fidelity to the magisterium, Saint Angela Mercy empowered an army of young women to be apostles for their time and ours. Spiritual motherhood and educational leadership. Saint Angela Mercy blazed a new trail across the landscape of Catholic education, guided by a deeper calling than mere instruction, the sanctification and salvation of souls, drawing on the wellspring of maternal charity and apostolic zeal, Angela embodied what the church venerates as spiritual motherhood. Unlike the didactic disciplines of her era, her pedagogy pulsed with prayer, sacrifice, and the nurturing love modeled by the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her community, the Ursulines, became a spiritual family, sisters forming sisters, mothers fostering daughters in Christ. With luminous clarity, Saint Angela taught that the education of girls was an evangelistic work of mercy, a direct channel for bringing Christ to the heart of the world. She wrote, If according to times and circumstances the need arises to make new rules or to alter anything, do it prudently and with good advice at Rule 18. Her leadership reveals a profound reverence for both tradition and creativity, a loyalty to Holy Mother Church infused with a burning desire for sanctity in every pupil. Angela's educational vision surpassed the transmission of academic knowledge. It aimed for nothing less than preparing her spiritual daughters to be citizens of heaven. Saint Paul's exhortation resounds in this mission for this is the will of God, your sanctification. Thessalonians four three. Every lesson, prayer, and act of service was meant to draw her students closer to the Eucharistic heart of Jesus, the source and summit of faith, echoing the great affirmation of the catechism. Under Saint Angela's inspired leadership, spiritual motherhood became a living vocation, lighting the path for countless women to embrace both the heights of the interior life and the sacred duty to teach and admonish one another in all wisdom. Colossians 3 16. She gave Catholic education a soul ablaze with charity, loyalty, and the unyielding hope of eternal life. Integration of prayer and study and daily routine. Saint Angela Mercy taught that true education of young women must unite the mind and heart in Christ. In a world quick to separate intellectual formation from spiritual growth, she stood as a silent, radiant contradiction. The cloistered corridors of her company of St. Ursula rang not only with lessons in reading and arithmetic, but also with prayers rising like incense, each syllable offered for the sanctification of her beloved daughters. Angela's approach was rooted in a revolutionary Catholic conviction. Every act of study is holy when anchored in prayer. Her girls would begin their day with the sign of the cross, hearts drawn heavenward as they whispered Chizo Jesus, fill our minds with your wisdom. Between lessons, time was carved out for the rosary, meditation on scripture, and Eucharistic adoration. The sacred and the scholarly were woven together, not as rivals, but as harmonies in Sormandur Sain. The Great Symphony of Sanctity. As Saint Paul exhorted the Thessalonians, pray without ceasing, first Thessalonians 5 17, so did Angela insist that constant conversation with Christ infuse studies with eternal meaning. Her legacy is an exhortation to every Catholic family, school, and soul, infuse every lesson with grace, consecrate every textbook page, and remember that Mary, seed of wisdom, walks alongside us as we turn each leaf. Through such a life, ordinary learning becomes an ascent toward heaven. Study for Angela was never merely for worldly success, but for the formation of saints. If you strive fervently, I have no doubt that Almighty God will grant you grant you to see marvelous things, and Saint Angela Mercy counsels. In following her vision, our daily routines become both preparation for this life and most of all for the life to come, right? Overcoming opposition from civil and church authorities, Saint Angela Mercy's sacred calling to educate girls did not arise in a time of ease. Sixteenth century Italy was a place of intense political struggle, religious tumult, and deep-seated gender expectations. For a lay woman to step forward and claim a vision of sanctity for young women, a vision that led directly to Christ, was nothing short of revolutionary. Angela faced opposition from all sides. Some civil leaders viewed her little band of followers with suspicion. What did it mean, after all, for girls and young women to gather for prayer and study outside the supervision of fathers or husbands? Whispers of scandal were not far behind. Church authorities, meanwhile, were caught between admiration for Angela's virtue and anxieties about a lay movement outside established convent walls. Critics even accused her of overstepping the god ordained boundaries set for women in society and of stirring up disorder in the delicate tapestry of Catholic life. Yet Angela pressed on. Her answer came not with rebellion, but with obedience and charity. She sought approval from bishops and sought always to teach in harmony with the Spirit and the magisterium, anchoring herself like Saint Paul writing to Timothy, in faith unfeigned. When civil authorities questioned her mission, she responded with humility and an unyielding confidence in God's desire for these girls' sanctification. She declared, If you meet opposition, do not be discouraged. The Lord himself will open the way and provide all that is needful. Angela's endurance was not merely human courage, it was the living flame of the Eucharist burning within her, a sacrificial spirit, echoing the words of Christ. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage. I have conquered the world. Through her perseverance, Angela brought forth a new generation of spiritual daughters, forming souls for heaven, even while surrounded by earthly difficulties. Her victory was one of grace, seasoned in trial and crowned with the quiet triumph of sanctity, expansion of Ursuline schools across Europe. The spark ignited by Saint Angela Meritsi in Brescia refused to stay contained. Like the smallest flicker that grows into a beacon, the Ursuline movement stretched far beyond the original company of St. Ursula. In the decades following Angela's death, witnesses already marveled as new groups of women arose burning with the same apostolic fire to found schools in Italy. Before long Ursuline convents and academies were springing up across France, Germany, the Spanish Netherlands, and England each carrying the torch of faith-filled education into fresh territory. The Ursuline approach grounded in daily life, deeply Eucharistic devotion and prayer attracted young women by the thousands eager for instruction in Christian virtue and learning. Amid war, political upheaval, and anti-Catholic laws, the sisters persisted. In your hearts revere Christ as Lord, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Their loyalty to the magisterium and the sanctity of their mission became a sanctifying leaven for entire communities. By the 17th century, Ursuline school stood as the gold standard for Catholic girls' education, offering not only reading, writing, music, and domestic arts, but above all an immersion in the beauty of the faith in preparation for sanctity. Countless women who would shape, heal, and renew Catholic culture trace their first steps back to an Ursuline classroom, a living fulfillment of Angela's vision. Even through persecution and exile, the teaching sisters press forward, sustained by Christ in the Eucharist and the promise, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4 13. Their apostolic zeal laid an unshakable foundation for generations to seek heaven through holy learning. Conclusion Following Saint Angela Mercy's heavenly example. Saint Angela Mercy continues to shine as a radiant beacon for everyone longing for sanctification and a deeper journey toward heaven. Her fierce loyalty to the magisterium, pioneering spirit and Catholic education, and unwavering focus on Christ, especially in the hearts of girls and young women, calls us centuries later to greater fidelity and zeal. Through her witness we are reminded of Jesus' words, let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19 14. As we, the family at Journeys of Faith, strive to evangelize and adore our Eucharistic Lord, let Saint Angela be a model, courageous, innovative, and uncompromising in faith. The mission is urgent, souls are at stake. Education and especially the formation of young women remain central in raising saints for the next generation. May we echo Saint Paul. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians three fourteen. Join us as we follow in Saint Angela Meracy's footsteps, guided by her holy example and sustained by Jesus in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. Journey with us to heaven, for that is our highest calling. Family, there is more to this post, so please see the link in the description for the rest of the article. Be sure to click the link in the description for special news item, and since there is more to this article, finish reading and check out the special offer. Visit journeysoffaith.com website today.