Biographical Profile

Biographical Profile

1862
28th Nov.
Virginia De Brincat was born at  Kercem (Gozo), the sixth of  11 children, and baptized on the same day at the mother church of St. George at Rabat – Victoria.

1877
8th Dec.
Virginia De Brincat is accepted in the association of the “Stars of the Heart of Jesus”, whose director was Fr. Joseph  Diacono.

1880
15th Aug.
The first eight “Stars”  start to form part of the religious association of the Franciscan Tertiaries founded by Fr. Joseph Diacono.

1st Sep.
The bishop of Gozo, Mgr. Peter Pace, approves the new Institute of the Franciscan Tertiaries, the first nucleus of the future Congregation.

1881
05th Feb.
Virginia De Brincat is accepted in the Association of the Franciscan   Tertiaries at 54, GhajnQatet Street, Rabat (Victoria).

20th Feb.
Virginia De Brincat takes her religious clothing and is given the name   Mistress Virginia of the Blessed Margherita.

1882
15th Jan.
The “House of Charity”, the seat of the Franciscan Tertiaries, is   transferred to 10, Palm Street, Rabat (Victoria).

1883
17th Aug.
Mistress Virginia makes her temporary profession.

1884
15th Aug.
Mistress Virginia is appointed general Secretary.

1885
01st Jan.
The opening of the second house at Qala (Gozo), where Fr. Joseph    Diacono was  parish priest..

31st May
The opening of a house at Birkirkara, the first on the island of Malta.
15th Aug.
Mistress Virginia drafts the first regulations of the Franciscan   Tertiaries , directly elaborated  by them.

1886
07th May
The bishop of Gozo, Mgr. Peter Pace, hands over to the Franciscan Tertiaries the new Rule and the Constitutions, which he himself had prepared.

1887
06th Mar.
Mistress Virginia is elected Principal Superior (Primaria) of the Franciscan Tertiaries, instead of Rosanna Gauci who returned home to assist her sick mother.

Oct.
Fr. Joseph Diacono, founder and spiritual director of the Franciscan Tertiaries,   definitely hands over the guidance of the Tertiaries to Mistress Virginia.
08th Dec.
The Perpetual profession of Mistress Virginia, who becomes Sister Margherita of the Sacred Heart.

1889
10th Jun.
Mother Margherita is elected general Superior in the first general Chapter of the Franciscan Tertiaries.

1892
06th Jun.
Mother Margherita is re-elected general Superior in the second general Chapter.

1895
03rd Jun.
In the third general Chapter,  Mother Margherita is re-elected general Superior. 

1900
28th Aug.
Mother Margherita  submits to Pope Leone XIII the first petition to obtain the DecretumLaudis for the Congregation.

1901
27th May
In the fourth general Chapter,  the term of office of general Superior expires for   Mother Margherita and she assumes that of general Vicar. 

1903
12th Oct.
Decree of  aggregation of the Congregation to the Order of the Friars Minor.

1904
05th Mar.
In the fifth extraordinary general Chapter Mother Margherita is re-elected   general Superior instead of Mother RosaliaVella. 

1905
28th Jan.
In the sixth general Chapter, Mother Margherita is confirmed in the office of   general Superior.

1907
01st Apr.
The opening of a house in Corf (Greece), the first beyond the Maltese Islands,   is approved by the general Council.

1911
03rd Jun.
Mother Margherita renounces to her re-election as general Superior.

15th Jun.
Mother Margherita is appointed superior of the house in Corf.

1917
28th May
In the eighth general Chapter, Mother Margherita is re-elected general Superior   for the sixth and last time.

1921
20th Jul.
Mother Margherita forwards a second petition to Pope Benedict XV to   obtain the DecretumLaudis for the Congregation.

06th Aug.
Mgr. John Camilleri, bishop of Gozo, approves the rule of the Congregation,   updated  in conformity to the Code of Canon Law which had come into force    on 1st January 1918.
17th Sep.
Mother Margherita is  received in an audience by Pope Benedict XV.

1922
30th Sep.
Pope Pius XI nominates Cardinal OresteGiorgi Protector of the   Congregation.

1923
20th Apr.
Acceptance of the House of Adoration at Valletta (Malta), offered by the   archbishop Mauro Caruana.

21st May
In the ninth general Chapter Mother Margherita terminates her office as   general Superior. She will constantly remain a member of the general   Council, as Councillor.

1924
06th Apr.
Mother Margherita is appointed first superior of the House of Adoration in   Valletta.

22nd Jul.
Fr. Joseph Diacono dies at Rabat (Victoria – Gozo) assisted by Mother   Margherita.

1927
21st May
The opening of the house in Rome, in which Mother Margherita was   interested since 1922.

10th Sep.
The opening of a house in Sofi (Ethiopia), the first step towards the   spreading of the Congregation outside the European continent.

1930
21st Nov.
Mother Margherita is appointed first superior of the new house at Xaghra –   CasalCaccia (Gozo).

1932
28th Aug.
Mother Margherita is in Rome to take the place of the mistress of novices   (Sr. DionisiaThomis) who is sick. In February 1933 she returns to Xaghra.

1937
20th Apr.
Mother Margherita is reconfirmed superior at Xaghra.

02nd Jul.
The Holy See concedes the DecretumLaudisto the   Congregation.

1938
27th Sep.
Mother Margherita is reappointed superior at Xaghra.

1940
14th Jan.
Mother Margherita’s first heart failure. Similar attacks of   this kind repeat themselves often throughout the following   years.

16th Mar.
Mother Margherita leaves Xaghra and is transferred to the   Mother  House.
02nd Apr.
Mother Margherita asks to be  exempted from the office of   superior of Xaghra and of general Councillor: the second   request is only partly accepted.

1946
23rd Dec.
The Congregation becomes of pontifical right with the Holy   See’s definite approval of the Constitutions.

1952
22nd Jan.
Mother Margherita dies at the Mother House (Victoria –   Gozo).

1977
14th May
The recognition of Mother Margherita’s remains by the   bishop of Gozo, Mgr. Nicola G. Cauchi, on the occasion of   their transfer to a niche in the crypt of the church annexed   to the Mother House.

1987
27th Jan.
Cardinal PietroPalazzini, Prefect of the Congregation for   the causes of Saints, grants the nullaosta for the opening of   Mother Margherita’s  cause of canonization.

1988
07th Jul.
The bishop of Gozo. Mgr. Nicola G. Cauchi, officially   opens Mother Margherita’s process of canonization.

1994
22nd Jan.
The diocesan process having been concluded, the subsequent   phase is initiated at the Congregation of the Saints in Rome.

2000
May
The Cause of Canonization is passed over to the Relator, Rev. P. Ambrogio Eszer OP.

2004
04th Mar.
Official presentation to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints of the Positio, the documentation on what the witnesses testified about the life and virtues of the Servant of God.

2013
13th Apr.
The Theological Consultants, entrusted by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, vote affirmatively on the Cause in recognition of the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, Madre Margherita.

2014
21st Jan.
The Cardinals and Bishops, presided by Cardinal J. Harvey, vote in favour of the Recommendation of a Decree of Heroic Virtues presented to them by the  Theological Consultants.

27th Jan.
Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, has a private meeting with the Holy See, Pope Francis, who authorises the Congregation to issue a Decree for Madre Margherita to be declared Venerable.