Following Jesus the teacher

Her limpid, crystal-clear letters kept by some of her correspondents as treasures of great value, help us understand not only her expressive style bul also her way of life.

Sister Marianna wrote to her sister Genoveffa who was also a nun and a teacher in the same congregation in February 1869:

«Dear Genoveffa,

As usual 1 am answering your letter in a hurry - it was very dear to me, as dear as the beautiful holy picture you sent me. Oh, thanks for your kind heartedness to me, many thanks! 1 am sorry about your cold. 1 hope you will be wise and get rid of it quickly. Try to keep up your strength because we can fulfil our duties better when we are well. Keep cheerful and think that God really has a preference for you and will he/p you more than you realize in educating and teaching your pupils well. Don't think you are wasting your time only because you cannot see the fruits of your work immediately; be patient and with the help of God you will be rewarded by working in our Lord's Vineyard. But if sometimes we think our duty is beyond our strength we must not be daunted because, on the contrary, at that moment we almost have the right to expect greater help from the Lord. In fact if the will of our Mother Superior is for us the will of God, we must say that it is God who put us in this school, in this service and so on.

And God will never give us a task beyond our strength; therefore it is certain that the more inadequate we are, the more He must help us so that His work does not fait.

Take courage then, and be of good cheer: we must try to do what we can, to fulfil our duties but we must remember that God has to do His duty too, and He will do it as He has always done.».

Her deep belief was the strength of her fife. Sister Marianna knew how demanding is the apostolate in the school but she loved it because it made her work in joint effort with Jesus, her Master.

She wrote to her pupil Angelina Panzarasa:

«I am indebted to you for your beautiful letter and 1 am keeping it as a good omen: in the coming school year 1 will have in you a pupil who will make my pleasant work as a teacher even more pleasing. It is true that 1 am not worth much but 1 am sure that God will strengthen my good will and will guide me towards the best results for you and my dear pupils.» (5/10/1850)

Sister Marianna worked tirelessly for her pupils because she wanted them to become not only learned but strong in Faith and in all Christian virtues like the «virtuous woman» in the Holy Scriptures. And she encouraged them in their difficulties.

«Take courage my dear Virginia, and trust in God who always watches over you with the eyes of a truly loving father. He will always be near you and will help you to educate the dear children that he has entrusted to you and He will reward you for all you do to educate them well for Him and for society; He will support you in difficult moments; He will be generous with the divine graces that can warm the heart of a good and virtuous mother.»
(letter written to Virginia Limonta on 29/7/1877)

One of her pupils stated at the trial:

«Her only aim in educating her pupils was to form real Christian women who would, in their turn, form their families in a Christian way, extending the Kingdom of God.»

And another pupil added:

«The aim of all her teaching was to form her pupils to become real Christian mothers.»

The relationship between Sister Marianna and her pupils was always sincere and straightforward. Because she herself was «absolutely truthful» she wanted the truth.

Her pupils understood this and loved her for it. Sister Marianna's love for them was simple and true, as she herself writes with surprise in one of her most significant letters, her letters of farewell written to the Mother Superior in Genoa after being sent to Milan.

«Dearest Mother Superior Caterina,

1 received the news of my new destination yesterday. I cannot express the effect that it produced on my heart because 1 am still/ very confused. I have said enough.

God wants this and He will help me. And the saintly indifference we spoke of? Oh, how far 1 am from acquiring it! I am ashamed of myself because although 1 thought I was ready for any sacrifice I must face the fact that nature still rebels. Dear Mother Superior, pray for me. 1 shall remember you in my prayers every day because this is the only way 1 have to repay you for the thoughtfulness and kindness you have always shown me and which I shall always keep written in my heart. 1 wonder how many times I have caused you pain because of my wild and abrupt nature! I beg for your forgiveness and hope that you will apologize for me to the other nuns for anything I may have said to offend them. Please give them my love and assure them 1 will always remember each one with affection.

And what about my dear pupils? And the older ones? Oh, if you knew how deeply I feel at having to leave them, I did not realize how much I loved them. Dear Mother Superior, please give them my love and encourage them for me.

1 hope that God will bless them this year and that they will be a comfort to you, dear Mother Superior, and to all those who are helping them. I must end now.

I still have a lot of things to tell you, but they must wait tilt next time.

Once again 1 must thank you and hope that you will pray for me, to help me fulfil God's will.

Affectionately and gratefully. Yours,

Sister Marianna Sala.»
(1st November, 1878).

And then, in this very same letter she added:

«P.S.
I have read my letter again and I realize that you might think that 1 am not happy here; that is not true; I feel sorry at having left you ail, but God is good to me.

In fact, the Mother Superior is very good and kind, and all the nuns are kinder to me than I deserve. I hope God will help me to return all this goodness.»

Milan the school in Via Quadronno,
where sister Maria Anna lived.