Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Italian American Heritage Month: Sister Blandina

Sister Blandina Segale

Known affectionately as Sister Blandina, Sister Segale (1850-1941) was born in Italy and immigrated to Cincinnati at the age of four.

She joined the Sisters of Charity at the age of sixteen and became an educator and social worker on the American frontier, having even met Billy the Kid. She spent her life in service to the poor, the ill and the marginalized, such as Native Americans, Mexicans and Italian Americans in Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico. She was well known in Cincinatti where she became an icon and the subject of a later award-winninbg documentary.

Sister Blandina was a fearless trailbalzer and became involved in issues such as human trafficking and juvenile delinquency.  Now, she is the first individual in New Mexico’s 400 year history with the Roman Catholic Church to have a cause opened on her behalf for beatification and canonization. She has already passed the first step to sainthood by besing designated designated a Servant of God.

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