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Saint Giovanni Antonio Farina
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Saint Giovanni Antonio Farina

Bishop of Vicenza called the 'bishop of charity', founder of the Teacher Sisters of St Dorothy

Rank
Saint
Kind
Bishop, Founder
Life
1803 – 1888
Era
19th century
Feast
4 March
Countries
Italy
Italy

Life story

Giovanni Antonio Farina was born on 11 January 1803 at Gambellara in the Veneto, the second of five brothers. His father died early and a priest uncle took the family in. He entered the seminary of Vicenza at 15, began teaching at 21 and was ordained a priest on 15 January 1827. He then earned an elementary-teaching diploma, spent about eighteen years teaching and acting as spiritual director at the seminary, served as assistant priest at St Peter's parish and directed elementary and secondary schools.

In 1831 he opened the first school for poor girls in Vicenza. On 11 November 1836 he founded the Institute of the Sisters Teachers of St Dorothy, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts, to provide qualified teachers; the sisters' work later extended to deaf and blind pupils and to nursing the sick and elderly. In 1850 he was named bishop of Treviso, where he had disputes with the cathedral chapter; there, on 18 September 1858, he ordained Giuseppe Sarto, the future Pope Pius X.

In 1860 he was moved to Vicenza (appointed on 18 June, installed on 16 December) and remained its bishop until his death. He reformed seminary studies, organised associations to help the poor and visited every parish, which earned him the name 'bishop of charity'. He attended the First Vatican Council in 1869-70. After a serious illness in 1886 he died of a stroke in Vicenza on 4 March 1888. John Paul II beatified him on 4 November 2001 and Pope Francis canonised him on 23 November 2014.

Works and witness

  • Ordained in 1827 and taught at the Vicenza seminary for about eighteen years
  • Opened the first school for poor girls in Vicenza in 1831
  • Founded the Sisters Teachers of St Dorothy on 11 November 1836
  • Bishop of Treviso from 1850; ordained Giuseppe Sarto in 1858
  • Bishop of Vicenza from 1860 until 1888

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

  • Vatican: 'Giovanni Antonio Farina (1803-1888)', biography for the beatification of 4 Nov 2001, vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/documents/ns_lit_doc_20011104_beat-farina_en.html

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.