Little Sisters of St.Therese of the child Jesus - Kenya

MOTHER MARIA ZANELI- Foundress

She was born on June 17th 1887. Two days later she was baptized as Maria Antonnieta. Her father was Dr Ercole Zaneli and her mother was Maria Acquaderni. The family of mother Maria Zaneli were practicing Catholics who practiced devoutly in the Eucharist every Sunday, prayed Rosary together and always showed love for the poor.

Her Character

When she was 20 yrs old she told her parents that she wanted to become a nun. After the death of her parents, Maria Zaneli was free to put into practice her promise of total dedication to God. In 1907 she joined a religious community, eventually offering herself to Christ as a victim for the apostolate. Though she faced trials and was even expelled at one point, she believed it was a sign of God's mercy. She eventually founded the pious workers of the child Jesus alongside Elisa Tinti and Ada Rossi.

Beginning of the New Community

The project was examined and approved by the Bishop, given the name Pious Workers of the Child Jesus, known today as the Little Sisters of St Therese of the Child Jesus. The life of the new congregation officially began on November 2nd, 1923.

FR. JOSEPH MAZZANTI

He was born in Imola in 1879 into a large, religious family. Giuseppe felt a calling to priesthood and began to study privately. After he received holy orders in 1904, he was entrusted with several pastoral tasks: chaplain, catechist, confessor, and teacher at the seminary. He was also a skillful artist and designer.

Fr. Giuseppe was known as zealous and enthusiastic. He devoutly admired St. Therese of Lisieux and followed her way of spiritual childhood, imitating her simplicity, confidence in Mercy, and total love for the Church.

The Sunset of a Saint

From the age of sixty, Fr. Mazzanti began to be affected by asthma. In spite of medical treatment and the care of Mother Maria and his daughters in Christ, he passed away at the age of seventy-five on December 22nd, 1954.