Mother Maria Gentile Agnese

Born: 1855
Mother General: 1913-1919
Died: 1933

Mother Gentile Cavalli was born in Montefiore Conca in 1855 and died in Montefiore on March 27, 1933, after 61 years of religious life.

Mother Gentile was born in the noble family of Francesco Cavalli and Angela Albini. It was there, in the warmth of the family that she received the initial formation of the Christian virtues. She was then educated and formed in the college of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows in Coriano where she left a legacy of fervent spirit of prayer, of goodness, innocence, generosity, and a humble- distinct behavior. She was very intelligent and at the only age of seventeen she graduated with the degree in education. In the midst of a future of comfort, she bid good-by to everything and consecrated her life to God in the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows.

In 1896 she opened a private- elementary school in Cattolica which flourished in academics and in women’s skills. Mother Gentile had a strong believe that in addition to the academic disciplines the spiritual formation is the most important although it is unnoticed and quite. This is what leads us to God.

On September 20, 1913  Mother Maria Gentile Agnese was elected Superior General of the Congregation. In her position, she revealed much zeal, and great spirituality. Her term  was greatly disturbed by the disasters of 1916 and by the approaching World War I. She gave much impulse to the congregation so that the sisters could help the many families in tears due to the men called to serve in the army, and caring with tenderness for their daughters left orphaned from the war.