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The Ursulines are a religious order founded at Brescia, Italy by St. Angela of Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is the St. Ursula.
History
St. Angela spent 17 years leading a group of women known as The Company of St. Ursula, who regularly met for conferences and devotional practices, but did not live together. They were recognized in 1544 by Pope Paul III. In 1572, Pope Gregory XIII, at the instance of St. Charles Borromeo, Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, declared the Ursulines a religious order with enclosure under the rule of Augustine of Hippo.
In the following century, the Ursulines were powerfully encouraged and supported by St. Francis de Sales. In most cases, especially in France, the sisters adopted enclosure and took solemn vows. They were called the "religious Ursulines" as distinct from the "congregated Ursulines," who preferred to follow the original plan.
By 1639, there were Ursulines in Canada who taught the catechism to Aboriginal children. Their work helped to preserve a religious spirit among the French population and to Christianize Aboriginals and Métis. In 1771, the Irish Ursulines were established at Cork by Nano Nagle.
Towards the beginning of the 18th century, the period of its greatest prosperity, the Ursuline order embraced some 20 congregations, with 350 convents and from 15,000 to 20,000 nuns. The members wore a black dress bound by a leathern girdle, a black sleeveless cloak, and a close-fitting headdress with a white veil and a longer black veil.
The founder was beatified by Clement VIII in 1768 and canonized as St Angela Merici of Brescia by Pius VII in 1807.
Today, while some convents in Europe, Canada, and Cuba continue to observe strict enclosure, most convents have adopted less restrictive forms.
Role in education
Colleges and universities
In the United States, the Ursulines have founded two well-known Catholic women's colleges. Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio was founded in 1871 by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland. It was followed in 1904 by College of New Rochelle, which is located in New Rochelle, New York.In 1919, the Ursulines founded a university-level liberal arts college for women in London, Ontario, Canada. Currently called Brescia University College (Brescia College at its foundation), it remains the only university-level college for women in Canada and is affiliated with the University of Western Ontario.
In 1932, the Great Falls Junior College for Women was founded in Great Falls, Montana. Now the University of Great Falls, it has an open admission policy.
The Mount Saint Joseph Junior College for Women operated between 1925 and 1950 in Maple Mount, Kentucky, with the Ursulines offering co-educational extension courses at Owensboro. The Ursulines merged their extension courses with Mount Saint Joseph Junior College in 1950, creating the co-educational Brescia University still in operation today.
Secondary education
Ursuline secondary education schools are found across the United States. The first school, Ursuline Academy, began in 1727 in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the oldest all girl's school in the country. The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, New York is a school for girls in grades 6-12 and is closely affiliated with the nearby College of New Rochelle.Other notable Ursuline secondary schools in the United States include the all-female Ursuline Academy of Dallas in Dallas, Texas and the all-female Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware.
Like their colleges, not all Ursuline secondary schools have remained single-sex. The aforementioned Ursuline Academy in Delaware permits male students in grades 1-3, and Ursuline High School in Youngstown, Ohio, founded in 1905, is fully co-educational. (Showing their co-educational status, Ursuline High School counts male actor Ed O'Neill as a graduate.)
Other Ursuline secondary schools in the United States include Ursuline Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio and the Ursuline Academy of Dedham in Dedham, Massachusetts.
See also
External links
References
Roman Catholic teaching orders | Counter Reformation | 1535 establishments
Ursulinen | Ordre de sainte Ursule | Szent Orsolya-rend | Ursulinen | Урсулинки
"Ursulines"