Wednesday’s Woman: Blessed Maria of St. Joseph

Note: For the next several weeks, I’m featuring women with a connection to the Americas.

The Basics: Born April 25, 1875, in Venezuela; died April 2, 1967, in Venezuela; beatified May 7, 1995, by John Paul II; feast day, May 7; woman religious.

The Story: This woman, born Laura Alvarado Cardozo and the first Venezuelan to be beatified, was devout from a young age. She had already started working outside her family’s home in Maracay and had a ministry teaching catechism to young people when a series of troubles hit (a smallpox epidemic in 1893, and a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in October 1990). Laura’s parish priest opened the community’s first hospital in response, and she began helping out there.

In 1901, the priest established the Augustinians Recollects of the Heart of Jesus with a ministry to help orphans and the sick and the poor, and Laura was drawn to serve in that way. She was among those taking vows a year later, and in 1903 was identified as the founder of the women religious’ community. In the following years, the woman now known as Mother Maria helped to found thirty-seven homes in eleven Venezuelan cities to minister to the elderly and orphans.

After her resignation as superior general in 1960, Maria spent much of her remaining years in making bread for eucharistic hosts by hand and distributing them among parishes at no cost.

Maria’s Wisdom: “Let us work and seek fidelity to the last breath.”

What We Can Learn from Maria: Sometimes, life changes leave us at loose ends. Consider the retirement ministry Maria found, and spend some prayer time considering what you might do when you children go to school or go off to college, or you retire.

To Learn More About Maria: Visit Maria’s sanctuary in Maracay, or check out the site for the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of the Heart of Jesus.

To Learn More About Other Women Saints and Blesseds: Come back next week, or consider buying my books, Blessed Are You: Finding Inspiration from Our Sisters in Faith or Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration.