Unlike religious, members of the Company of St Ursula lived a consecrated life within the world, that is, they lived in their families rather than in a monastery. Their community life was one of mutual encouragement rather than a "common life" as lived by nuns. Their poverty was a poverty of spirit and a simplicity of life, not a poverty of dependence which characterises religious institutes. A poverty of dependence means that all things are owned in common and members depend on their Insitute for their material well-being. Members of the Company of St Ursula were autonomous independent women with their own means to support themselves. This was a radical concept for the 16th century. But this group of women living a consecrated life within the world signalled the beginning of apostolic religious life.
For leadership Angela proposed that four elected members of the Company be responsible for visiting and encouraging the members of the Company in the life they had chosen. These leaders were called the Colonelli.
But such a radical life also depended on some influential people re-assuring members' families so that they would support such a radically new way of life. So the four Matrons, widows, were also appointed. Their role focussed more on ensuring the material well-being of the members, e.g. intervening if they did not recieve their wages, or meeting a particular need from their own resources.
Angela's writings addressed each of the above three groups:a Rule, for all the members of the Company of St Ursula; Counsels addressed to the Colonelli or Leaders of the Company; and a Testament for the Matrone.
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