4 July Optional Memorial in the Italian provinces
Mother M. Crocifissa Curcio was born on 30 January 1877 in Ispica (Rg), Italy. From the time of her adolescence she realised that she was called to follow Christ in a radical manner, Christ whose loving Mother of Carmel was entrusting her with the task of making Carmel flourish once more in her town as well as in others.
Like all saints, in order to make this plan come true, Mother Crocifissa went through innumerable trials and sufferings for many years, even to the time of her providential encounter with a Carmelite, Fr. Lorenzo van den Eerenbeemt, who allowed her to start a small missionary Carmel in Santa Marinella in the diocese of Porto San Rufina (Rome). At her death, on 4 July 1957, the Congregation founded by her for the care of the poor and the needy, was already present in many parts of Italy, in Brazil and Malta. Later, the Carmelite missionaries spread to other continents and started communities in Canada, Tanzania, the Philippines and Romania.
She was beatified on the 13th November 2005.
