INTRODUCTION

When we listen to specialists, we know that they are able to explain, simply and graphically, the subject under discussion; they lead us to the heart of the matter by a direct and well-defined path. Therefore I’m quoting a lady who, at the present time, is the most knowledgeable person on Blessed Alexandrina’s life and work, the Italian teacher Eugénie Signorile. Although 91 years of age she continues, with great lucidity, and passion, to write book after book on Alexandrina. From today we will post in the Monthly Page passages from a small work she wrote, entitled Alexandrina, Voglio Imparare da Te!, “Alexandrina, I Want to Learn from You!”,  which was published in 2004. The author calls it “a vademecum”, a short synthesis of practical passages from Alexandrina’s work. We will need about one year to present the work, which starts like this:   

If all people followed Jesus’ steps, true peace would finally reign. But also, if all followed the true Christians, the “healthy” members of the mystical Body of Christ, peace, the establishment of the kingdom of God would take place here, on this Earth. 

Blessed Alexandrina is one of these models to follow. Many times Jesus told her that she was humanity’s guide: 

You came into the world to be the school of all humanity.
In you, maidens learn to keep the white lilies of their purity for Me;
In you the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the wise and the ignorant learn.
In you all learn to love Me in suffering, to take up their cross. S (05-12-47) 

Your life, my daughter, is a school of love, a school of pain.  

I want so much want to shout out loud to tell all humanity to learn from your life: it is a wise school, it is a sublime school; it is a school which teaches every aspect of the divine life. S (28-03-52) 

Little daughter, celestial gift, all your life speaks to them. All your life is a continuing guidance. Your forced smile, your moans, all your resigned suffering speaks to their hearts; it captivates them, attracts them, and they come to Me. You are the Missionary of Jesus. This sublime mission will continue with more glory, more splendour, when you come to Heaven. S (21-08-53) 

The darkness of your room (the light wounded her eyes) invites souls to reach out for great things: it is a foretaste for them. Your small room preaches to them and it will always preach to all that enter it. All your life preaches to them, and this preaching will be extended to the entire world. S (28-01-55) 

Courage, my daughter!  

Your bedroom, your life, how many lessons do they give to the world!  

It is a divine school that teaches men; it is God’s light which shines in the darknesses. S (11-02-55) 

If therefore we want to live as true Christians, to participate in the redemption of poor humanity, let’s go to Alexandrina’s school. This school is accessible to us through her writings, dictated in obedience to her spiritual directors, with that sense of sacrifice and love for souls, which was her mission. 

But if the volumes of such writings are simply buried in libraries, how can people come to know of them? That's why we need anthologies. 

We have intended to extract from them a small collection of thoughts and sentences to carry with us in daily life: a small vademecum to be a stimulus and aid to every Christian who truly loves and does not want to squander his life here on this earth.

The Signoriles (Eugénie goes on to place the name of her husband and collaborator, Professor Chiaffredo, alongside her own, even though he passed on years ago), October,  2004.