AT AN EARLY AGE ANNIBALE DI FRANCIA BECAME AWARE OF THE LACK OF GOOD WORKERS IN THE CHURCH AND DEEPLY FELT IN HIS HEART THE NEED FOR MORE PRIESTS, NUNS, BROTHERS, AND LAY WORKERS WHO COULD HELP ALLEVIATE THE MATERIAL SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS THEIR MORAL AND SPIRITUAL DEPRIVATION. INSPIRED BY JESUS' DIVINE COMMAND, HE FOUNDED THE DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE ZEAL IN MESSINA, SICILY, ITALY IN 1887. TEN YEARS LATER HE FOUNDED A GROUP OF BROTHERS CALLED THE ROGATIONISTS OF THE HEART OF JESUS (RCJ) TO COMPLEMENT THE SISTERS. THE DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE ZEAL BEGAN THEIR WORK IN THE AVIGNONE QUARTERS THE POOREST AREA OF MESSINA IN ITALY. MADRE MARIA NAZARENA MAJONE REGARDED BY THE SISTERS AS CO-FOUNDRESS OF THEIR ORDER WAS ONE OF SAINT ANNIBALE DI FRANCIA'S FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS. AT 18 SHE ENTERED THE NEWLY-FOUNDED CONGREGATION AND LIVED ITS MISSION WITH REMARKABLE HUMILITY IN PRAYER AND EFFECTIVE WITNESS. HER EXAMPLE OF HOLINESS AND FIDELITY CONTINUE TO INSPIRE THE DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE ZEAL ALL OVER THE WORLD. GRADUALLY THE DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE ZEAL SPREAD AS THE CALL OF THE DISADVANTAGED CAME TO THEM AND TODAY THEY ARE LOCATED IN ITALY, SPAIN, ALBANIA, NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA, AND ASIA. |
IN 1959 A SMALL BAND OF DIVINE ZEAL SISTERS ARRIVED IN RICHMOND VICTORIA. THEY HAD COME IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST OF FR NICOLA TOMESE SJ CHAPLAIN TO THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY IN THAT PARISH WHO WANTED TO ESTABLISH AN ITALIAN COMMUNITY CENTRE. ON ARRIVAL THE SISTERS COMMENCED THEIR WORK WITH THE OPENING OF A NURSERY SCHOOL, CLASSES IN ITALIAN AND A KINDERGARTEN. IN 1969 THEY EXTENDED THEIR MISSION TO SHEPPARTON IN RURAL VICTORIA. IN MORE RECENT YEARS THEIR COMMITMENT HAS EXTENDED TO PARISHES, TO FAMILY VISITATION - ESPECIALLY OF MIGRANTS - FORMATION OF PRAYER GROUPS FOR VOCATIONS AND PROVIDING ACCOMMODATION FOR FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. IN 2005 THE SISTERS FOUNDED THEIR THIRD AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY AND FIRST IN NEW SOUTH WALES AT NEWPORT IN THE DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY. |
