Gulf Pine Catholic • May 22, 2026 17 Beloved nun, 87, lovingly remembered by brother BY CAV. JOSEPH VENTURA My sister, Sister Angela Ventura, a Franciscan Nun of the order (Suore Stimmatine), died August 10, 2025, at Il Portico Institute in Florence, Italy. She was 87. There were more than one hundred people attending the funeral, including the mother Superior and the nuns of the Institute” La Fantina” of Florence. The Mass of Celebration for the beloved Sister will be celebrated by Father Bartosz Kunat and concelebrated by Father Joseph DiLettuso and Reverend Donbosco Puthiyakunnel, Sunday, May 31, during the 11 a.m. regular Mass at the Cathedral of the Nativity Blessed Virgin Mary, Biloxi. Sister Angela, an Italian nun was born on December 22, 1937, in Muro Lucano, Italy. She served the Catholic church for more than 67 years at the Istituto Suore “La Fantina,” on the outskirts of Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, Italy. Her parents were Angela Gugliotta and Girolamo Ventura, both past residents of Muro Lucano, a southern city in the province of Potenza, the Lucania region. The religious activity of Sister Angela was dynamic. In fact, she wore the religious habit for the first time in Muro Lucano, Italy, in 1957 and became a Catholic nun on December 28, 1959, in Florence, Italy. Her first assignment was involving young girls achieving vocations in becoming nuns, teaching the religious order of her founder Anna Lapini. During her tenure in the States in 1965, Sister Angela accompanied her aunt Mother Celerina Ventura and two other nuns who started and operated the PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missionaries) in Okland, New Jersey. In 1968, after this assignment, she was called back home in Florence, Italy. During her stay at “La Fantina” Sister Angela continued her mission. She recruited young girls into religious lives. She and five other nuns were put in charge to run the Villa Alpina, Passo della Mendola in Bolzano, Italy. Villa Alpina was a vacation house for prospectus nuns. From September 1975 to June 1978, the room opposite the chapel at Villa Alpina was expanded and embellished with wooden furnishings; subsequently, in 1978, a game room was created on the top floor, the corridors of which were fitted with spacious and convenient closets. In 1982, the chapel, too, underwent careful and appropriate renovations; the altar, in particular, was transformed to bring it into compliance with the norms of the Second Vatican Council. Upon her return to Florence Sister Angela presided over the school of “ricamo.” The main section of the embroidery school curriculum listed the following subjects: a) Handwork (such as stocking-making, etc.); b) Reading, writing, Italian orthography, Sacred History, etc. c) Principles of arithmetic, etc. Manual labor -- such as embroidery, stocking-making, and sewing -- was a characteristic feature of the schools of that era, in which practical activities were prioritized over theoretical learning. Many years ago, in acknowledgment of her 25 years in the service of God, she was given a round-trip ticket to New York to see her father Girolamo. On this trip she was accompanied by her aunt Mother Celerina Ventura, a mother superior of the order of St. Francis, from Brazil. Both were reunited with the entire family in New Jersey including her grandmother Lucy Ventura Sinatra, a premature widow of four children. In 1913, her grandmother came to the United States from Italy for a better life. In Hoboken she met Antonio Sinatra, got married, and had five more children. Lucy Sinatra died at the age 102 in 1989. The “Te Deum” Mass for her 80th birthday and the 58th anniversary Renewal of Vows was celebrated at the “La Fantina” chapel in Florence. Celebrant was Padre Leonardo assisted by a group of nuns. And, at the convivial encounter which took place after the liturgical celebration, Sister Angela was the center of attention of her family and friends who came to express their best wishes for a job well done. During the party she was presented by Secretary of State Monsignor Domenico Baccelliere the apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis. She is survived by her brothers Joseph Ventura and wife Caterina of Biloxi; Anthony Ventura and the late wife Billie of Raleigh, NC; sisters Luisa Ventura Vitamia and husband Paul of North Haledon, NJ; Maria Ventura Sidow and husband Jerry of Mahwah, NJ; Susie Furnari and husband Albert of Elmwood Park, NJ, and nieces Angela Ventura Rodgers, Francesca Ventura Waite and Gina Leilani Ventura all of Biloxi. Sister Angela Ventura continued her mission work in Italy until God called her home at her age of 87. May she rest in peace! Joseph Ventura is the nephew of Mother Celerina Ventura. He is a member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, BIloxi Sister Angela Ventura (Lucia Ventura) 80th Birthday! A solemn High Mass was celebrated for Sister Angela Ventura at the chapel of the institute of “La Fantina” for 58 years of her religious Life. She received the Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis. In the photo left to right: Luisa Ventura Vitamia, Prof. Roberto Ventura, Sister Angela, the officiating priest Padre Leonardo, CAV. Joseph Ventura and Francesca Christina Ventura Florence, Italy, December 28, 2017. Photo by Dr. Caterina Ventura THE CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY The Corporal Works of Mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise. They “are charitable actions by which we help our neighbors in their bodily needs” (USCCA). they respond to the basic needs of humanity as we journey together through this life. The seven corporal works of mercy are feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the prisoners, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor.
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