Edoardo Giuseppe Rosaz

The heart of Edoardo Giuseppe Rosaz's work lies in the foundation of the congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Susa (Suore Francescane Missionarie di Susa).

Sensitive to the distress of poor, abandoned, or marginalized young girls in his region, Father Rosaz opened a refuge as early as 1856 (or 1862, depending on the reception structures) called the "Ritiro delle povere Figlie di Maria" (Retreat of the poor Daughters of Mary). To ensure the longevity of this work of education and assistance, he decided to found a dedicated religious community.

On October 4, 1874, he officially gave birth to the congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis of Susa (later becoming the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Susa). The first postulants received their spiritual formation from the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy. The congregation adopted Franciscan spirituality, characterized by simplicity, poverty, and an active charity lived in a maternal spirit.

The sisters dedicated themselves to the education of children and youth in schools and orphanages, as well as to the care of the poor sick, at home or in hospitals. Bishop Rosaz himself granted diocesan approval to the institute on February 2, 1903, shortly before his death. The congregation was affiliated with the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin on March 9, 1906. It received the pontifical decree of praise on July 10, 1934, under the pontificate of Pius XI, and its constitutions were definitively approved by the Holy See on July 27, 1942.

Today, the institute has extended its action well beyond Italian borders, working notably in Albania, Brazil, Mozambique, Switzerland, and Libya.

Nicknamed the "father of the poor," Edoardo Giuseppe Rosaz left a deep mark on the Diocese of Susa through his apostolic zeal and boundless charity. Close to great figures of Piedmontese holiness such as Saint John Bosco (who encouraged and advised him), he was proposed for the episcopate. On December 31, 1877, Pope Pius IX appointed him Bishop of Susa. He received episcopal consecration on February 24, 1878, at the hands of the Archbishop of Turin, Mgr. Lorenzo Gastaldi. During his twenty-five years as bishop, Mgr. Rosaz spent himself without counting for his flock. He regularly visited, often on foot, the most remote and inaccessible mountain parishes of his diocese. Concerned with evangelization and education, he encouraged the establishment of several religious orders in his diocese, notably the Salesians, the Conventual Franciscans, and the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He was also a pioneer of the local Catholic press: on April 3, 1897, he founded the diocesan newspaper Il Rocciamelone (today La Valsusa), intended to form consciences and spread Christian truth. Deeply Marian, he was the great promoter of the erection of a monumental bronze statue dedicated to the Virgin Mary at the summit of Mount Rochemelon (Rocciamelone), reaching an altitude of 3,538 meters. Financed by the offerings of thousands of children throughout Italy, this statue was blessed by Mgr. Rosaz on June 15, 1899. Exhausted by his many pastoral labors, he was struck by illness on January 12, 1903. After several months of suffering lived in abandonment to the divine will, he passed away in Susa on May 3, 1903.

The reputation for holiness of Edoardo Giuseppe Rosaz, already immense during his lifetime, led to the opening of his cause for canonization on 26 May 1953. On 22 March 1986, Pope John Paul II signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thus conferring upon him the title of Venerable. A miracle of unexplained healing, attributed to his intercession, was the subject of a diocesan inquiry and then an examination by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The official decree validating this miracle was promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 6 July 1991. On 14 July 1991, during his pastoral visit to Susa, Pope John Paul II solemnly proclaimed Edoardo Giuseppe Rosaz blessed. His mortal remains, initially kept in the church of the Mother House of his congregation, were transferred on 31 October 2022 to a side chapel of the Cathedral of Saint Justus in Susa, during a ceremony presided over by Archbishop Mgr Renato Boccardo. His liturgical memorial is set for 3 May, the day of his birth into Heaven.

The spirituality of Blessed Edoardo Giuseppe Rosaz is entirely summarized by his motto, inspired by Saint Paul: "Farmi tutto a tutti, guadagnare tutti a Cristo" (To become all things to all men, to win all men to Christ). His pastoral and charitable action flowed from a life of intense prayer and deep contemplation of the mystery of Christ.

He knew how to combine Franciscan humility and gentleness with a courageous pastoral firmness in the face of the social and political challenges of his time. His legacy remains alive through the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Susa, who continue to embody his charism of "mothers of charity" to the most destitute, and through the newspaper La Valsusa, which continues his mission of information and evangelization in the Susa Valley.