A Journey of thousand miles begins with a single step.
Holy Founders
Maria Elena Bettini, a beautiful, young, Roman girl of 17, had the courage, in Italy of the post French war, to respond to the call given by God and offered herself totally to Him. She was the younger child of the five, born to Vincent Bettini and Lucia Cardinale. They lived in the heart of Rome, in between Piazza Venezia and Largo Arenula.
One Sunday evening, as she was on her way to the catechism teacher’s meeting in the neighboring parish church, the roman sky suddenly turned dark and started pouring down. Since she hadn’t an umbrella, she found refuge right there in St. Charles at Catinari, where she stopped before the image of the Mother of Divine Providence. Here she met the young Parish Priest, Fr. Tommaso Manini, the father founder, a Barnabite Religious, who noticed the signs of God’s action in Her life and inspired her to dedicate herself to God.
Thus, on 8th September 1832 she, along with two other young girls of th e same age began their mission at the service of the least and needy. They reached in compassion and love especially to the children of their time reduced to misery by the French war. Maria Elena Bettini with her companions, removed these children from the streets of Rome beginning a school and giving them proper education with the help of Fr. Tommaso Manini.
Soon they began to grow in number and obedient to the Divine Master’s command “… go and make disciples of all nations”, the small community began to go far and wide and under the provident care of the Father, the Daughters of Divine providence have spread first around Rome, then to the other parts of Italy and slowly to the other countries.
Charism and Spirituality
Seek first God’s Kingdom and His Justice through trustful abandonment in the Divine Providence. [Mt.6,33]
Today, the DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE is an international Congregation of women religious who are called by God to a life of poverty, obedience, and chastity, lived in communities. They strive to live their motto: “seek first the Kingdom of God” in prayer and in service with a “boundless trust in Divine Providence.”
“This trustful abandonment in Divine Providence”, enables each sister to declare: “God keeps my life in his hands. He continuously creates my being; He moulds my heart and my existence; it is to believe that God’s love wins all circumstances of my life and I can read this love in every occasion of my life; I know He is always ready and waiting for me, He is my Provident Father.”
The Daughters of Divine Providence are called to live and transmit this message of great hope.“ Even the hairs of your head have been counted”. Our Founders have written with their lives a beatitude of abandonment to the will of the Father, and have taught us to become the joy of providence to little children, the old and abandoned, the poorest, and the least of our society, thus passionately searching for the reign of God.
Our Presence in India and Internationally
Today the Charism of Mother Elena Bettini is spread in Italy, Chile, U.S.A., Mexico, Poland India and Brazil.
Presence in India:- Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam and Tamil Nadu
Presence in Dioceses of:– Kadapa Diocese, Bangalore Archdiocese, Ernakulam Archd., Guwahati Archd. Dharmapuri Diocese
Charism- Seek first God’s Kingdom and His justice through total abandonment to the Divine Providence, Mt. 6,33
Apostolate: Education to the children of underprivileged (foster care)`, assistance to the aged, parish ministry, free boarding homes, medical care, uplifting of the women especially in the village set up, family apostolate, Care for HIV affected children and other social works according to the need s of the place where we are