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Blessed Alexandrina Da Costa (Salesian Cooperator) 1904-1955

by vaclav posted Oct 13, 2020
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Blessed Alexandrina Maria Da Costa, ASC

(Portugal, 1904-1955)

 

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Alessandrina (1925-1955 confined, paralyzed in her bed) with her SDB spiritual directors

 

Liturgy of hours: Alessandrina da Costa-October 13.docx

Short thoughts of Alexandrina: Alessandrina-pensieri.doc

Short biography: Alessandrina-eng(49pages).doc

 

Born on 30 March 1904 at Balasar, a small place in Portugal, Alexandrina Maria da Costa was brought up in a Christian manner by her Mamma. At seven years of age she attended elementary school for a year and a half. Lively, cheerful and physically strong she began to work in the fields.

 

At 14 years of age something happened which would leave its mark for the rest of her life: to escape from the attack of some evil minded men she threw herself from the window. The consequences were terrible, even though not immediate. Until she was 19 she went to church, but the paralysis continued to advance and the pain became unbearable. In 1925 she took to her bed never to get up again. Refusing to ask for a miraculous cure she believed that it was her mission  “to suffer, to love, to make reparation.”

 

A great mystical union began with Jesus “prisoner” in all the tabernacles of the world. In 1935 for the first time she heard Jesus express his wish that the world be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1938, every Friday Alexandrina relived with visible signs and movements the various stages of the passion of Jesus, while her sufferings increased as did the persecutions of the devil. At this time Fr Mariano Pinho, a Jesuit, her spiritual director, approached Pius XI directly to request the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. When the request for the consecration was accepted by Pius XII in 1942, the Friday visible passion stopped and another “sign” took its place: during the last thirteen years of her life, Alexandrina did not take any more food, living solely on the Eucharist.

 

 

In 1944, at the invitation of the Salesian Fr Umberto Pasquale, her new spiritual director, she became a Salesian Cooperator.  Thousands of visitors from all parts came to ask her advice and prayers. Alexandrina died on 13 October 1955. She was beatified by John Paul II on 25 April 2004.

 

 

Liturgy of the Eucharist (October 13)

 

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Original photo

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