Blessed Angela Truszkowska

Angela Truszkowska (born Sophia Camille Truszkowska, May 16, 1825 – October 10, 1899) was a Polish religious sister who has been beatified by the Roman Catholic Church. Foundress of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi (Felician sisters), she forged one of the first active-contemplative communities that, nearly a century and a half later, would grow to include more than 1,800 sisters over four continents serving in an array of ministries. Sophia Camille Truszkowska was born in Kalisz, Poland in 1825, the eldest of seven children of Joseph and Josephine Rudzińska Truszkowska. Her days as a young student were characterized by schoolwork and reading, as well as daily Mass, and adoration of the Blessed sacrament. At the same time, her compassion for the underprivileged grew as she gained invaluable insight into the social ills and issues of her time from her father, a juvenile court judge. When Truszkowska was twelve years old, her father was appointed Registrar of Deeds, and the family moved to Warsaw. At the age of sixteen, Truszkowska contracted tuberculosis. The family physician recommended a rest in Switzerland to restore her health. After a year, Truszkowska returned to Warsaw and left boarding school in order to study privately at home. With access to her father's vast library collection, she continued her study of Latin and her already fluent knowledge of French. She also pursued studies in contemporary philosophy, ethics, and social thought. At one point, Truszkowska had considered joining a cloistered community of nuns, but soon joined the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and began ministering to the abandoned children and homeless on the streets of Warsaw. In time, she opened a shelter to give comfort and aid to this vulnerable population. At the suggestion of her spiritual director, Honorat Kozminski OFMCap, she joined the secular Third Order of Saint Francis, taking the religious name Angela.