Yesterday we celebrated the Beatification day of Giuseppina Nicoli, D.C. (learn more about her at the VinFormation website).

Today, the G. Nicoli International School in Madrid, named after Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli, is the result of a collaboration between the Daughters of Charity and the J. H. Newman International School of Madrid. They identify as “a Vincentian school, inspired by the founders, Sts. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac,” basing their efforts on the social integration of students, raising awareness of those in need and valuing knowledge as a means to better serve others. The school was originally entrusted in the early 1900s to the Company of the Daughters of Charity who welcomed 200 orphans, giving them academic and human formation. (Source: colegionicoli.org)

The School posted a video about the Life of Bl. Giuseppina. An English translation is below.

Life and Service of Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli

Transcript (English)

There was a time, not so long ago, when a woman, full of enthusiasm and vocation for the weakest children of society, gave her life to educate a great generation of young people who, thanks to her, found the strength to change their lives. Her name was: Giuseppina Nicoli.

Born in 1863 in Casatisma (Italy), she was the fifth of ten children, a large family where little Giuseppina had to live through the sad loss of several of her siblings. Within this great family suffering, however, the young Giuseppina learned to recognize the value of life and became very sensitive to human frailty.

At the age of 21, Giuseppina joined the Company of the Daughters of Charity of Turin, for her vocation had begun to mature at a very young age, and a year later she was sent to Sardinia, where she gave herself unreservedly.

At the age of 30 the young woman fell ill with tuberculosis, which would gradually weaken her for the rest of her life. For four decades, in the cities of Cagliari, Sassari and Turin, Giuseppina cared for orphans, created youth associations, religious schools to train teachers, assisted prisoners, organized women’s groups to visit the poor, opened a marine children’s nursery to care for malnourished children and those suffering from tuberculosis, accompanied orphans and widows during World War I, and tirelessly promoted many other initiatives to care for the most disadvantaged.

On December 31, 1924, she died of tuberculosis in Cagliari. The next day, a crowd, moved by her, accompanied her coffin to the cemetery of Bonaria; forty years had passed since the beginning of her mission dedicated to the poor of Sardinia.

Giuseppina Nicoli, with extraordinary audacity and creativity, spent all her energies in providing the boys and girls of her time with an education that awakened them to an awareness of their own dignity. She was beatified on February 3, 2008 in Cagliari.

Today, at the G. Nicoli School (named after Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli since 2018) we want to continue her legacy, educating through teaching and work, from Preschool to Professional Training, remembering the work of this great woman, her love and dedication for the youngest.

Thank you, Giuseppina, for your life and example.

Here is a video of the official anthem of the G. Nicoli International School in Madrid, recorded by Primary and Secondary students.

Some of the lyrics:

Italy saw the birth of the woman who was a teacher of life,
a message of love for others with humility and joy.
She wanted to be totally of God, loving the poor without measure.
She lived her vocation with freedom, doing good all her life.

Blessed Sister Smile, mother, teacher, friend, sister,
Sister Giuseppina Nicoli was an example of dedicated life.
Today our school proudly bears your name engraved.
Nicoli International School, we will always be Vincentians.

With the Daughters of Charity we will continue your legacy…