A congregation of women founded at Milan about 1530 by Countess Luigia Torelli of Guastalla (d. 1559) for the protection and reclamation of girls. Under the direction of Saint Antonio Zaccaria, founder of the Barnabites, they adopted the Rule of St. Augustine, and obtained the approbation of Paul III (1534). Their garb was that of the Dominicans, and each was addressed as "Angelica", instead of the customary "Sister" or "Mother". Not being cloistered, they assisted the Barnabites in their missionary work until abuses arose, and one of the Angelicals set herself up as a prophetess. In 1557 they were cloistered, and in 1625 their statutes were revised by St. Charles Borromeo and confirmed by Urban VIII. During the political disturbances early in the nineteenth century their foundations were destroyed and the congregation disappeared. The Institute of the Guastallines also founded by the Countess Torelli is still in existence.

The Catholic Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive resource on Catholic teaching, history, and information ever gathered in all of human history. This easy-to-search online version was originally printed in fifteen hardcopy volumes.

Designed to present its readers with the full body of Catholic teaching, the Encyclopedia contains not only precise statements of what the Church has defined, but also an impartial record of different views of acknowledged authority on all disputed questions, national, political or factional. In the determination of the truth the most recent and acknowledged scientific methods are employed, and the results of the latest research in theology, philosophy, history, apologetics, archaeology, and other sciences are given careful consideration.

No one who is interested in human history, past and present, can ignore the Catholic Church, either as an institution which has been the central figure in the civilized world for nearly two thousand years, decisively affecting its destinies, religious, literary, scientific, social and political, or as an existing power whose influence and activity extend to every part of the globe. In the past century the Church has grown both extensively and intensively among English-speaking peoples. Their living interests demand that they should have the means of informing themselves about this vast institution, which, whether they are Catholics or not, affects their fortunes and their destiny.

Copyright © Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company New York, NY. Volume 1: 1907; Volume 2: 1907; Volume 3: 1908; Volume 4: 1908; Volume 5: 1909; Volume 6: 1909; Volume 7: 1910; Volume 8: 1910; Volume 9: 1910; Volume 10: 1911; Volume 11: - 1911; Volume 12: - 1911; Volume 13: - 1912; Volume 14: 1912; Volume 15: 1912

Catholic Online Catholic Encyclopedia Digital version Compiled and Copyright © Catholic Online