Blessed
Blessed Leopoldina Naudet
Foundress of the Suore della Sacra Famiglia, Verona, 1773-1834
Early life
Leopoldina Naudet was born on 31 May 1773 in Florence, where her parents, Giuseppe and Susanna d'Arnth, were in the service of the grand duke of Tuscany, Leopoldo d'Asburgo-Lorena, who was her godfather.[1] Her mother died in 1776; from 1778 to 1783 she and her sister Luisa were educated by the nuns of San Frediano, and in 1783 their father took them to Soissons, the town the Naudet family came from, to the dame di Nostra Signora.[1] Her father died in 1787, and in 1789, at the outbreak of the revolution, the two sisters returned to Florence, where they were put in charge of the education of the little archdukes; in 1790 the grand duke became emperor of Austria and the whole family moved to Vienna.[1] After the emperor Leopoldo died in 1792, the archduchess Marianna, sister of the new emperor Francis II, chose the two sisters as ladies-in-waiting, and they moved to Prague, where Marianna was named abbess of the canonesses.[1]
Vocation
She came into contact with the fathers of the Sacred Heart and with the former Jesuit Father Giuseppe Varin, and was guided by her spiritual director, the former Jesuit Father Nicolò Diessbach, who involved her in the apostolate of the book.[1] In 1799 she met Father Niccolò Paccanari, founder of the padri della fede; on 31 May 1799 Marianna, Luisa and Leopoldina Naudet pronounced vows as the first dilette di Jesus, and she was named superior of the new society.[1] In 1800 Paccanari sent her to Italy to look for a place to settle, with stages at Padova, Loreto and Rome.[1] From 1801 to 1807 she went through a very difficult period: Paccanari lost his authority and was denounced to the Holy Office, the dilette of France and England separated, and she was left with a small group of companions; at the end of 1807 she reached Verona.[1] On 8 May 1808 she began working with Maddalena di Canossa in the convent of Santi Giuseppe e Fidenzio in the San Zeno quarter, taking on the formation of her companions, the responsibility for the community, and the school and catechesis for the poor girls of the quarter.[1]
Foundation and death
On 9 January 1811 she began a spiritual path with Gaspare Bertoni, confessor at the convent of San Giuseppe, and in 1813 the reference to the Holy Family, which she called 'my special devotion', appears for the first time.[1] On 9 November 1816 the institute of the sisters of the Sacra Famiglia obtained a house, the convent of the Terese in piazza Cittadella; from 1831 the community was in the convent of San Domenico, in via del Pontiere.[1] There she joined prayer with the education of the young noblewomen of the college and free schools for poor girls; the institute was approved by the Austrian government on 5 May 1833 and by Gregory XVI on 20 December.[1] After a short illness she died on 17 August 1834, leaving a small institute of about eighty sisters.[1] She was beatified on 29 April 2017 by Pope Francis.[1]
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Sources and notes
- Leopoldina Naudet
Dicastery for the Causes of Saints · Italian
Accessed 2026-09-05
Editorial notes
Translated and condensed from the Dicastery's official Italian profile by an automated pass on 2026-09-09; identity matched on the death date and name; editorial review pending.
This is an AI-assisted draft prepared from the sources above. Its citations identify its evidence; they do not replace a historical review.
The inherited biography
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Blessed Leopoldina Naudet, also known as Marie Madeleine, was born on 31 May 1773 in Florence, Italy. She was the daughter of a French father and a German mother. Leopoldina and her sister Louisa received their education in prestigious monasteries in Italy and France.
In 1789, Leopoldina and Louisa were appointed as tutors to the children of Grand Duke Leopold I in Florence. When the Grand Duke became emperor and the family moved to Vienna, the sisters accompanied them. During her time in Vienna, Leopoldina felt a growing call to religious life and began working with Saint Maddalena of Canossa, a renowned Catholic figure.
Responding to her vocation, Blessed Leopoldina founded the Sisters of the Holy Family on 9 November 1816. This order was dedicated to serving the needs of the poor and marginalized in society. Under her guidance, the Sisters of the Holy Family established schools, orphanages, and hospitals, providing essential services to those in need.
Blessed Leopoldina Naudet's life was marked by her devotion to the Catholic faith and her tireless service to the most vulnerable members of society. She exemplified the virtues of humility, compassion, and selflessness, inspiring many to follow in her footsteps.
Pope Benedict XVI recognized her heroic virtues on 6 July 2007, and her beatification was celebrated on 29 April 2017 by Pope Francis. The beatification recognition took place in the Basilica of Sant’Anastasia in Verona, Italy, with Cardinal Angelo Amato presiding over the ceremony.
Blessed Leopoldina Naudet's legacy continues through the religious order she founded, and her inspiring life story serves as an example of faith and charity for believers around the world.
Image: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons (Leopoldina Naudet.jpg)
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