Saint Paula of Saint Joseph of Calasanz

[Saint Paula of Saint Joseph of Calasanz]
Also known as
Paula Montal Fornes
Paula Montal
Paola Montal
Paola Montal Fornes
Memorial
26 February
Profile
Daughter of Ramon and Vicenta Fornes Montal. Raised in a large and pious family in a small seaside village. Her father died when Paula was 10 years old. She worked as a seamstress and lace-maker, and helped raise her siblings, then helped in her parish with other children.

At age thirty, still single and devoting herself privately to God, she and her friend Inez Busquets opened a school in Gerona to provide a good education mixed with spiritual guidance. The school was such a success that she was able to found a college in May 1842, and another school in 1846. To staff and manage the schools, she founded the Daughters of Mary (Pious School Sisters) on 2 February 1847, and took the name Paula of Saint Joseph of Calasanz. Paula served as its leader, and they received papal approval from Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1860. These schools have now spread to four continents.
Born
11 October 1799 at Arenys de Mar, near Barcelona, Spain
Died
26 February 1889 at Olesa de Montserrat of natural causes
Beatified
18 April 1993 by Pope John Paul II at Rome
Canonized
25 November 2001 by Pope John Paul II
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Paula [12 images, 354 kb]
Additional Information
Apóstol de la familia y de la Escuela [español]
L'Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano [italiano]
L'Osservatore Romano [español]
Colegio Inmaculado Corazón de María [español]
Katolske Kirke i Norge [norwegian]
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