Maria Stanislas Tommasini, RSCJ (1827-1913)

The following material is an essay from the book Southward Ho! The Society of the Sacred Heart Enters “Lands of the Spanish Sea.”

by Jan Dunn, RSCJ

Today we would hail Stanislas Tommasini as a woman who lived interculturally. She was truly a person who transcended place and culture, but at the same time lost her heart to every country and house of the Sacred Heart in which she lived. Although Stanislas probably never heard the word interculturally, she lived it her entire religious life. At the core of her vocation was her desire to love God and to do God's will. For her, this meant literally going to the ends of the earth to bring the love of the Heart of God to five different countries, from Italy to France, to Manhattanville and elsewhere in the United States, to Cuba, to Canada, to Grand Coteau in Louisiana, to Mexico.

Born in the Duchy of Parma in 1827, third daughter of Giacomo and Angelina Tommasini, the early formation of Stanislas Tommasini took place in a simple, hard-working family. The one word that describes her best: joy. Her joyful and happy nature carried her through many ordeals and adventures. Over and over again, she proclaimed that she wanted to be a saint, to grow holy merrily, as she would put it and, in fact, she did! We are told that: She literally sang and danced her way through adventures that began when she entered in 1843 and only ended when she danced for the novices at Kenwood just before her death at the age of 86 (Williams 127). Anna du Rousier was vicar during Tommasini's early years in the Society. On the day on which Stanislas received the habit, Anna Borigilione, RSCJ wrote her: "May you never lose the atmosphere of this day of peace and happiness.” More than a half century later, Mother Tommasini wrote that that wish was granted, for all her life in the Society had been so happy!

In The Society of the Sacred Heart in North America, Louise Callan describes Tommasini as an Italian. Having a large dose of Joie de vivre, she was enthusiastic and impetuous. Fervent, very much a child, she took up her duties as mistress of foreign languages at Manhattanville in 1848, having French at her command, as well as her native tongue.

Her post was no sinecure. Ignorance of English was a tremendous disadvantage, but the ardor of her Latin temperament was equal to any situation, and from the dust of humiliation and failure she learned to rise with a smile. Made to wait before getting permission to make her vows, she prayed more fervently and more earnestly tried to live religious life. Trusted traveling companion of Mother Aloysia Hardey, mistress general of Manhattanville, local superior in Cuba and New York, superior vicar in Canada, local superior and mistress of novices in Louisiana, and local superior in Mexico and again in Cuba, she took an active part in the development of four vicariates. Charming in her simplicity, sincere in her attractive humility, completely indifferent to human respect, she grew in wisdom and holiness and came to exercise a remarkable influence in the positions entrusted to her. Tommasini gave sixty-five years of her life to the Society in America.

When she was 75 years old, her Superior Vicar sent her a formal order to write her own circular or memoirs. In her opening sentence, she gives us the focus of her entire life: "To the greater glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Holy Heart of Mary, for the love of whom I make an act of obedience by writing the following pages.” Her memoirs give us not only a vivid and colorful sketch of Tommasini's life, but also delightful vignettes and descriptions of each of the places in which she lived. Written in the 19th century, her memoirs are steeped in its spirituality, with even an occasional miracle sprinkled throughout!

Some of Tommasini's fondest memories were about St. Madeleine Sophie. Before she entered, Tommasini met St. Madeleine Sophie when she came to Parma

From the windows of our house we could look into the Convent gardens. When our Blessed Mother Foundress came to Parma in l 842 on her return from Rome, she occupied the Superior's room and my delight was to gaze at the windows in hope of seeing her. I had the happiness of being presented to her. She even came into our house when she visited the grounds of the Convent. My Mother received her kneeling. Our Blessed Mother embraced her, talked with her, and having met me later in the day, she said: "Thank God, my child, she has given you a holy Mother!" She asked many questions. I told her about my devotion to St. Louis of Gonzaga.

When Tommasini was preparing to make her final vows, she met St. Madeleine Sophie.

One morning I met our Blessed Mother in the hall. I ran forward and knelt for a blessing. "I was looking for you, my child, I have sad news. They have closed the house of Parma. I thought you would be grieved at this." "What about our mothers?" I asked. "They have been received with hospitality and kindness among friends and await orders." Our Mother went on talking of various things, and then asked whether Mother de Bouchard complained of me still. "Oh! Yes, she finds me childish." 'Well, well, be a child all your life but a good child, not a giddy, heedless one." In English we have the distinction between "Childish" and "Childlike." It is easy to understand our Mother's meaning.

Although she cherished memories of St. Madeleine Sophie, she did not hold on to a scapular worn by her, but gave it to a younger religious to help her become a stronger religious. It was on the occasion of Tommasini's jubilee in 1904. Many gifts came as tokens of gratitude to the former mistress general of Manhattanville. "All this is too beautiful for me, but nothing could equal the treasure which I have kept for fifty-five years as a holy talisman of happiness, a scapular once worn by our Blessed Mother Foundress.” "Oh Mother,” carelessly remarked a very young religious, "would you not will that scapular to me?" "Yes, Sister,” answered Mother Tommasini very calmly, "but you shall have it only after my death.” Those nearby smiled and the conversation went on. Shortly after this the young aspirant had the joy of receiving a note from Mother Tommasini who said: "I shall not await death to thank you, here now is the scapular of our Mother Foundress, may you become her true daughter.” Little miracles have been worked by the double remembrance.

Stanislas Tommasini entered as a coadjutrix sister in Pinerol, Italy, in 1845. However, it did not take her superiors long to discover her gifts, so she began her noviceship preparing to make her first vows as a choir religious. She was trained by Anna du Rousier who was herself to be the great missionary of South America. Perhaps there is a direct correlation between the mistress of novices and her novice in her desire to carry God's love to foreign lands. Surely Mother du Rousier imparted some of her zeal and spirit to her. It was during Tommasini's noviceship that a Mexican Jesuit visited the community and spoke of his country. Like Philippine Duchesne, her imagination painted a glorious picture of life in Mexico – swarthy Indians, dignified Conquistadors, and a basilica with a mantel of a poor Indian with the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe on it hanging over the altar. The image was to intertwine itself forever in her heart, until she herself was to help establish the Society in Mexico. Made to wait to make her first vows, Tommasini wrote a note to Our Lady of Guadalupe begging her protection. When Mother du Rousier closed the house in Pignerol, she found the note and gave it to Tommasini years afterwards at Manhattanville, saying to her: "Keep this for perhaps Our Lady of Guadalupe will call you to Mexico.”

The revolution of 1848 and expulsion of religious orders from Italy precipitated Tommasini's missionary career. St. Madeleine Sophie herself sent Tommasini to America. On July 15, 1848, traveling with five companions she arrived in New York and went immediately to Manhattanville. She was to spend 23 years of her life there. She became Aloysia Hardey's right hand as her traveling companion, and both enjoyed and grew from their long friendship.

Arriving at Manhattanville a year after its founding, Tommasini left her mark on this institution. She herself describes vividly her first assignment from Mother Hardey, an assignment that was to teach her Spanish, a useful tool for her future.

When I entered her room that morning, Reverend Mother asked how much English I knew. "I do not at all care about your learning the language," she said – "our Reverend Mother General thinks it would be well for you to study Spanish, so tomorrow you will go to our Chaplain, Reverend Father Goldecano, and ask him to teach you." "Oh! Mother; I said, he knows only English and Spanish, and I only French and Italian." "That will be all right, obedience will find a means of gratifying your wish." I was distressed by this reply. I wanted very much to learn English. I could not bear the idea of living in a country without understanding the language. Reverend Mother seemed to read my thoughts. You may pick up as much English as you can, so as to understand what is said at the recreations, but remember that you are here to speak the foreign languages and not English.

Tommasini's work in the Junior school at first challenged her.

I began my work in the Junior School and my office book gave evident signs of the tears I shed – tears not of contrition, but of humiliations. If I gave an order the little girls would exclaim: "What is she saying?” and then run off. I followed them on a race through the house or garden. When I complained to my Superior she would answer: "'Try again. You must learn to control the children." Oh! How I suffered from those blue-eyed angels! Sometimes I went to Mother Trincano's room and wept bitterly! The dear Mother smiled when she met me with red eyes and an attempt to be pleasant. "Very good Stanislas, very good, courage!”  she would say. She told me to recite the Laudate at Prime to thank God in advance for the annoyances of the day. This practice has always helped me.

During her career at Manhattanville, Tommasini taught Italian classes, French, English, writing, needlework, and singing and was mistress in a dormitory, and finally was named mistress general. Her influence extended over countless religious and children confided to her care. Her knowledge and love of the Society and her innate wisdom gave a depth to the Society established at Manhattanville.

As Mother Hardey's traveling companion, she went with her to Albany to open the school there as well as to New York City when the convent on Bleeker Street moved to West 17th Street. Tommasini even accompanied Mother Hardey as far north as Halifax; often she would travel in secular dress or even in disguise! "Shortly after this Reverend Mother Hardey told me she was going to Halifax and that for the sake of economy I was to pass for her maid. I was delighted and promised to be the ideal servant.” And Tommasini accompanied Reverend Mother Hardey as her interpreter as far south as Havana for the foundation there. The trips to Halifax and to Havana had a foretaste of Tommasini's future in them. It was during the trip to Havana that Reverend Mother Hardey came down with yellow fever. Tommasini tells one of her most charming vignettes about Reverend Mothers cure through a miracle of prayer.

During those anxious days I had to settle the case of a religious vocation. Rafaela Donoso presented herself and asked to be admitted as a coadjutrix sister. She carried 5,000 francs in her hand as dowry. "I cannot settle this question," I said, ''but if you will obtain our Reverend Mother's cure by your prayers, I shall beg her to receive you into the Society. "The good girl knew how to pray. She spent the entire day after this interview before the Blessed Sacrament, and in her desire to become a Religious of the Sacred Heart, she offered to remain three extra days in Purgatory if our Lord would cure her future Superior! She told her confessor about her prayer, and both were impressed by the news that a marked change had taken place in Reverend Mother's condition. Rafaela was admitted to the Society and sent to Manhattanville where I met her several years later.

In 1870, Tommasini was called from Manhattanville after 23 years, to be superior in Havana. Thus began a new phase of her living interculturally. She wrote that the best spirit reigned in the house. Reverend Mother Hardey had instilled it, and she wrote to Josephine Goetz, superior general, that it was easy to be superior in a house where all were so faithful and docile.

From Havana, Tommasini was named superior of 17th Street in New York City in 1873, and in 1874 she became superior vicar of Canada. She wrote shortly before her death: "How I loved Canada where I spent seven years of happiness due to my Mothers and Sisters. What a sweet family life we led at the Sault!" In 1881-l883, Tommasini was superior and also mistress of novices at Grand Coteau, Louisiana, where she had to give instructions in three languages (English, French and Spanish) "so as to be sure I had been understood.” Her description of her arrival at Grand Coteau is charming:

Finally my star stood over Grand Coteau. At the primitive station called Sunset I found a carriage that would have satisfied Mother Duchesne. It was the convent carriage drawn by a horse that resembled pictures of Rosinate while the coachman was a real Sancho Panza. Our triumphal march would have amused me under different circumstances but when I beheld the Community awaiting me at the entrance door, I could say only two words: "Here I am!”

From Grand Coteau, Tommasini went to what she called her dearest mission, her Benjamin, the foundation in Mexico in 1883. Before her first vows, Tommasini had been inspired by the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and now her dream of serving in Mexico became a reality, against all odds and political persecution. Tommasini was to live in Mexico for 13 years as superior, mistress general, and mistress of class in Mexico City, as superior in Guanajuato, as superior in Guadalajara.

In her many positions of authority, Tommasini received new members into the community, and at times served as mistress of novices. She had held this position in Canada and at Grand Coteau. One of her novices in her memoirs says of her, "the good she did during her long career is very great. She received many subjects into the Society... Her direction was strong. Generosity in the service of the best of Masters was taken as a point of departure.” Tommasini trained her novices to live in the international Society of the Sacred Heart. One of the novices at Grand Coteau wrote: "We were obliged to learn three languages in the novitiate: English, French and Spanish; the time for spiritual reading was divided – one quarter French read by a Spaniard, then Spanish read by an American. Evening prayer was recited by a Cuban novice. Thus everything was a means of formation.” And thus everything was a means of teaching the young religious how to live interculturally among themselves and with others.

Tommasini was clearly a person who went from meeting to dialogue of cultures (Chapter 2000). She accepted herself and others, and thus became more open, more loving and more caring in her communities. Her goal, no matter where she lived was to live the mission of the Society. According to the editor of her memoirs, the secret of Reverend Mother Tommasini's success was her influence over persons of the world. She made herself all to all to gain them to Christ. She knew how to adapt herself to the customs and characters of the Mexicans (or the Cubans or the Canadians or the Americans) and a statesman said of her: She is remarkable in the universality of her knowledge; her heart overflows with love of God and she always brings back the conversation to things that are eternal.

In the very last year of her life, her memoirs note that she had read an article in the Jesuit publication, America, about a priest she had known well in her active years. She drew this contrast after reading the article: