Sister Mary Natalie: Giovanna Donola
I was born in Italy on February 23, 1925, in Brugine, a small town near Padua, where I grew up with a rhythm of harmony between work and prayer.
One day I went to confession and my parish priest made me wonder about what the Lord wanted from me. It was thus that the spark of a possible call to religious life was lit: “Would you like to become a nun?” Without thinking too much about it, I immediately replied “YES!”
However, I explained to him that my Mom needed me very much because I had five younger brothers. At the beginning of the Second World War, Dad had been called to arms and therefore it would have been impossible to leave home.
Afterwards I prayed a lot and repeated to myself: “If Dad returns from the war, I will become a nun“.
The Lord is great! When Dad came home, I expressed my wish, and it was he who convinced Mom to let me go with the nuns. My parish priest recommended me to enter among the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master because they had Eucharistic Adoration and so on October 22, 1943, I entered the house of Sacile (PN) while waiting to leave for Alba for the initial formation.
On March 24, 1946 we entered the novitiate. It was precisely in that year our Congregation entered a period of tears and pain because the Holy See decided not to grant us the required approval and to impose on us the full merger with the Daughters of St. Paul. Our group of novices, according to the dispositions of the Apostolic Visitor, Fr. Angelico, had to leave Alba and leave for Rome to join the Novitiate with the Daughters of St. Paul.
Mother M. Lucia Ricci who, as Mistress of Novices, now had only the role of Assistant, recalls:
“On November 8, 1946, the 20 Novices accompanied by their Assistant, left Alba for Rome, where they arrived on the 9th around 12. They fasted from midnight to be able to receive Holy Communion. They went on a van to the Basilica of St. Paul where Father Timothy Giaccardo was waiting for them to go the Eucharistic celebration. We entered the Basilica silently and, going down the steps leading to the altar of the Tomb of St. Paul, the emotion was such as to arouse tearful and incontrollable sobs. Father Timothy, sad and silent, after several moments began the Holy Mass, giving the great comfort of Communion. He concluded the celebration and gave the group a blessing.
The Novices walked towards Volpi Hill, the home of the Daughters of St. Paul. Here they had moments of hesitation before entering, but they understood that they had to obey. First, they greeted Jesus in the Eucharist in the great chapel, which would become one of the most beloved places during their stay in Rome. They stayed there until March 31st,1947.
They were very hard days but never, never, did our certainty of being Pious Disciples of the Divine Master fail. Primo Maestro with his words brought light and comfort: “Have faith in your vocation, faith is the certainty of what is asked. Do it simply, without counting the sacrifices, without even knowing that they are sacrifices; preparing yourselves for your vows, not doubting God; we do our part, and God will do the rest … Do not fail in confidence! Trust is a condition of life; Not even prayer is worth anything without trust! ».
Starting from Christmas 1946, some meditations of our Founder were of great help to us on this journey, the content of which became a sort of manual of our spirituality, still valid today. Father Timothy Giaccardo said: “The meditations of the Primo Maestro enlighten every darkness. His words are overflowing with the Spirit who entrusted him as the Father of many souls, and they give light, comfort, and life!”
This test of faith lasted several months and ended with the “resurrection”, on April 3,1947, Holy Thursday, when the news arrived of the approval of diocesan right of our Congregation.
We left in tears, with great jubilation and joy filled songs of joy we returned to Alba and on May 24, 1947, in the Basilica of St. Paul, the Rite of our religious profession was celebrated “according to the Constitutions of the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master“, finally!
In 1952, the year of my Perpetual Profession, I received the mandate to be a missionary in the United States of America to begin the apostolate of the Sacred Art. And so, on August 4th1952, on the ship Vulcania, I left Genoa for New York. It was difficult at first, but with God’s grace I persevered. I felt great joy every time a statue made with our hands, of the Child Jesus, of the Madonna or of the Angels entered the families.
Fidelity to the Eucharist has always been my spiritual strength together with my love for the Congregation and for our Apostolate, despite my weaknesses and limitations. I worked in sacred art for 26 years, in priestly service for 11 years, and I carried out my mission in other areas.
Today I am in the community of Fresno in California. For all that has been, I give glory to Jesus Master for his goodness and mercy. I am now waiting, – as Mother M Scolastica once wrote to me – to pass “to the day without sunset in which we will live eternally with our Bridegroom Jesus. So let us love him so much now to enjoy him more intensely in heaven! “.
2 Comments
I Thank God for you, Sr. M. Natalie. Thank you for sharing your vocation story and your faith that the Master wanted you to be His in the PDDM.
Do pray for the vocations the Master is preparing for us. I do the same for your intentions.
Thank you Sr.Mary Natalie for sharing your beautiful story and your mission.You said“ The Eucharist has always been my spiritual strength together…… despite my weaknesses and limitations.”I have such a deep feeling too.Thanks be to God let me read your story,it encourages me .