Crescentia was born in 1682 in a little town near Augsburg, the
daughter of a poor weaver. She spent play time praying in the parish
church, assisted those even poorer than herself and had so mastered the
truths of her religion that she was permitted to make her holy Communion
at the then unusually early age of seven. In the town she was called
"the little angel."
As she grew older she desired to enter the convent of the
Tertiaries of St. Francis. But the convent was poor and, because
Crescentia had no dowry, the superiors refused her admission. Her case
was then pleaded by the Protestant mayor of the town to whom the convent
owed a favor. The community felt it was forced into receiving her, and
her new life was made miserable. She was considered a burden and
assigned nothing other than menial tasks. Even her cheerful spirit was
misinterpreted as flattery or hypocrisy.
Conditions improved four
years later when a new superior was elected who realized her virtue.
Crescentia herself was appointed mistress of novices. She so won the
love and respect of the sisters that, upon the death of the superior,
Crescentia herself was unanimously elected to that position. Under her
the financial state of the convent improved and her reputation in
spiritual matters spread. She was soon being consulted by princes and
princesses as well as by bishops and cardinals seeking her advice. And
yet, a true daughter of Francis, she remained ever humble.
Bodily
afflictions and pain were always with her. First it was headaches and
toothaches. Then she lost the ability to walk, her hands and feet
gradually becoming so crippled that her body curled up into a fetal
position. In the spirit of Francis she cried out, "Oh, you bodily
members, praise God that he has given you the capacity to suffer."
Despite her sufferings she was filled with peace and joy as she died on
Easter Sunday in 1744.
She was beatified in 1900 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Comment: Although she grew up in poverty and willingly
embraced it in her vocation, Crescentia had a good head for business.
Under her able administration, her convent regained financial stability.
Too often we think of good money management as, at best, a
less-than-holy gift. But Crescentia was wise enough to balance her
worldly skills with such acumen in spiritual matters that heads of State
and Church both sought her advice. |
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