The end of the 17th century marked the beginning of the Religious Teachers Filippini . St. Lucy Filippini and Cardinal Barbarigo founded schools of Christian Doctrine for girls in Italy. St. Lucy also ministered to the poor and the sick, conducted retreats and guided the women preparing for marriage. A contemplative in action, she blended her life of prayer with her life of ministry. St. Lucy expressed the desire to be a thousand Lucys that she might bring her consuming love of God to the peoples of the world.

In 1910 St. Pius X commissioned five Religious Teachers Filippini to come to the United States where the spiritual needs of the Italian immigrants begged relief. Like all pioneers the Sisters suffered hardships and difficulties until in 1918 Archbishop Thomas J Walsh came to their assistance. The succeeding decades saw the opening of many schools in the Eastern and Central part of the United States. Lucy's horizons widened with the opening of many missions in Brazil, Ethiopia, England, India, Eritrea and Albania. Villa Walsh, located in Morristown, New Jersey, is the motherhouse for the province of St. Lucy Filippini.

For further information you can view the Filippini Web site@ www.filippiniusa.org.

Address: Villa Walsh, 455 Western Avenue, Morristown, New Jersey, 07960 Phone Number: (973) 538-2886.