“My Glory Will Come in a Land Yet Unkown.”

The Aid Society of Saint Camilla Battista Varani

Saint Camilla Battista Varani’s Philadelphia descendants first learned of their relationship to her in 1948 when Edino Varani was a student at Catholic University. Edino had mentioned to his parents, Edward and Gemma Varani, of a possible connection between Camilla Battista, a Poor Clare nun from Camerino, Italy, and their family. A short time later, Fr. Leonardo Tasselli, OFM from Italy was visiting St. Nicholas of Tolentine parish in South Philadelphia. Edward and Gemma were in the church the day that Fr. Tasselli was visiting. When Fr. Tasselli heard Edward and Gemma’s last name and learned where in Italy they were from, he became excited and told them, “ In Camerino, we pray to a great woman. Her name is Blessed Camilla Battista Varani.” The connection between the Varani family and Blessed Camilla Battista was confirmed by Fr. Tasselli.

Through Fr. Tasselli, the Varani family learned that the Poor Clare monastery, bought in 1483 by Duke Julius Caesar Varani from monks, was damaged during World War II, though still in use. Fr. Tasselli urged the Varani family, direct descendants of the Blessed Camilla Battista Varani, to do all in their power to collect funds in America in an all-out effort to rebuild the monastery. The Varani family contacted the Abyss of the monastery, Mother Assunta Ricci, OSC. Mother Ricci sent Edward Varani blue prints of all the work that had to be done. In return for this commitment to help with the restoration of the monastery, Edward Varani was given all the rights to the name and title, which originated in 1259, when the Varani family was given a papal fief. Mother Ricci also sent Edward a first class relic from Blessed Camilla Battista Varani.

In 1952, with the blessing of Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, then the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Aid Society of Blessed Camilla Battista Varani was founded on April 6, 1952. Its stated purpose was to spread the devotion of the Blessed Varani, and to promote and hasten the cause of her canonization.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the Society ran many fundraisers to rebuild the monastery and also to spread the name of the Blessed through masses celebrated in her honor. Edward and Gemma would also bring the first class relic to those in need of a miracle. In the 1950s, two miracles were attributed to Blessed Camilla Battista: a young child at Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia and a man in nearby New Jersey.

With the Aid Society’s efforts, not only was the monastery restored, but a new chapel honoring Blessed Camilla Battista was built in Castelnuova, Province of Teramo, Italy.

As the late 1960s approached, many of the Society members had either gotten older and were not very active, or had passed away. The cause of Blessed Camilla Battista stalled.

In April of 1983, the Varani family was contacted again by the monastery in Italy requesting signatures petitioning for the canonization of Blessed Camilla. Dr. Edino Varani, a school teacher for over 40 years and the son of Edward and Gemma, restarted the Society. On November 6, 1983, Auxiliary Bishop Louis A. DiSimone celebrated a mass at Holy Angels Parish in the East Oak Lane section of Philadelphia to mark the reopening of the cause for canonization.

In 1985, efforts stalled again upon the passing of Dr. Edino’s wife, Maria. Dr. Edino Varani passed away in December of 2005. Before his passing, Dr. Edino Varani said to his son, Ed, “It’s up to you now.” Dr. Edino Varani’s cousin, Benny Monachese, was also a very active member of the Aid Society throughout his life. Similarly, before Benny passed away, he had said to his grandson, Mike Burns, “Whatever you do, make sure you see her become a saint.” Together, Ed and Mike continue to proclaim the name of Saint Camilla and the efforts handed down to them.

In the beginning of 2006, Ed Varani, son of Dr. Edino Varani, began gathering committee members to restore the cause of canonization and to proclaim Blessed Camilla Battista’s name in the United States. Ed began organizing masses and fundraisers for the Blessed to again start spreading awareness. On February 12, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI approved decrees testifying to the authenticity of miracles attributed to Blessed Camilla and five other soon-to-be saints. On February 19, 2010, the canonization of Blessed Camilla was approved. The now Saint Camilla Battista Varani was canonized on October 17, 2010.

Today, Ed Varani leads the Aid Society of Saint Camilla Battista Varani, along with his cousin, Mike Burns. The Aid Society is also helped by Ed’s son, Mario Varani. The canonization efforts of all former Aid Society members who have passed have been fulfilled. Today’s Aid Society members are now working on getting a shrine for Saint Camilla Battista Varani in the Philadelphia area.