The Co-founder
Pia Elena Bruzzi Bonaguidi
(February 2, 1835, Siena – August 16, 1913) 

Many were attracted to the Dominican priest, Pio Alberto Del Corona. Those who were most moved by his message became his spiritual sons and daughters. The person who responded most deeply and who brought forth the most fruit in her future work was Elena Bruzzi, a widow, had been married to a man named Bonaguidi. She possessed a strong, tempered will and adapted well to the role of leader, a soul chosen by God to carry out many great works.
The widow Bonaguidi was searching for a spiritual father and felt those gifts were magnified in the young Dominican priest. She introduced herself to him in 1869, and the father accepted her request; on August 20th of the same year he wrote his first spiritual letter of direction to her.

Father Del Corona, who had for some time been thinking of founding a congregation for the spreading of Dominican spiritual thought, recognized the right person for his project in this woman: the future congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Spirit.

Their relationship is a testimony of a life-long correspondence that lasted for all of their lives. More than just a historical testament, these letters constituted solid spiritual nourishment for the sisters of the congregation. Furthermore, even though these letters might have been addressed to Mother Pia Elena (who took the name of Elena as her religious name) or one or even all of the sisters collectively, the letters were read to the whole community.
 

On the tomb of the Dominican Saint Catherine de’ Ricci in Prato, Father Pio Alberto and Mother Bonaguidi promised that that they would found the new monastery at any cost. After having obtained the consent of their superiors at the Convent of Saint Mark, Father Pio presented his project to the Archbishop of Florence, Mons. Lamberti, who in turn approved and praised the project. The Archbishop wished to baptize the monastery with the name House of Blessings. Father Del Corona then requested an audience with the Pope, the Blessed Pius  IX.On the 18th of May in 1872, both were presented to the Pope who responded to their request with the following words, “I cannot do less than give my approval and my blessing to this beautiful venture with all my heart.” Then he asked Mother Elena how many women there were at that time. She replied, “Twelve ready women.” Pius IX concluded, “You are apostles; go and do the work of apostles!”

 

Mother Elena passed away on August 16, 1913, exactly one year and a day after Mons. Del Corona.

 

Her remains, buried in the Cemetery in Fiesole, were exhumed in 1991 and laid to rest in the crypt in the monastery.

 

The stone, laid by the crypt in the monastery, records the moving of the mortal remains of Mother Elena.

 

Very little is known about her, and at her death even her writings were burned at her explicit orders.

If more of her writings had remained, we might have been able to know her soul better. Perhaps we would have been able to reconstruct the network of her friends. There would have most certainly been pleasant surprises as suggested by a document that the Blessed Bartolo Longo sent to Mother Elena. Blessed Bartolo Longo (1841-1926), one of the most important Dominican laymen between the 19th and 20th centuries, was a promoter of the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Pompeii and numerous other charitable activities stemming from that Sanctuary.
 

 

Blessed Bartolo Longo

 

In the letter to Mother Elena from Blessed Bartolo (undated but attributed to 1884 or somewhat later), Bartolo reveals an exchange of prayers between himself (along with the other devotees of the Madonna of Pompeii) and Mother Elena (along with the other sisters in her community).

Here is a transcription of that letter:
 

 

I send comfort to those good sisters (to the community guided by Mother Elena) and since I wish that their devotion and love for Mary might grow greatly in their hearts, I will send them a copy of my newsletter each month (“The Rosary and the New Pompeii”) without any other request but their fervid prayers to our Madonna of Pompeii. Do not be afraid, continue to repeat the Novena, say the Rosary completely every day, and add the practice every fifteenth Saturday. […]. Do not be dismayed if the first time ones knocks there is no answer; keep knocking until the loving and sainted voice reassures you […]. Oh, how loving Mary is! She never refuses anything. And let us never forget the intervention of our dear Saint Catherine of Siena.

 

 

  

 

The entire letter of Blessed Bartolo Longo to Mother Elena

 

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