- 2 Timothy 2:15 -
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who
does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
______________________________________________________
What you are is God's gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift
to
God.
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December 11th - St. Maria Maravillas de Jesus
(Also known as Maravillas Pidal y Chico de Guzmán; Maria de las
Maravillas
Jesus)
1891-1974
The Marquise from Madrid who founded many Carmelite houses, even in
India...
as many as St. Teresa herself!
Daughter of the Marquess of Pidal; her father was Spanish ambassador to
the
Vatican and a very active supporter of the Church. She was baptized at the
age of eight days, Confirmed in 1896, made her first Communion in 1902,
grew
up in a pious family, was known as an intelligent and religious child, and
early perceived a call to religious life. She entered the Carmelite
novitiate at El Escorial, Madrid in 1920.
On 19 May 1924 Maria and three sisters founded a house at Cerro de los
Angeles, Madrid, the geographical center of Spain, and she took her final
vows there on 30 May 1924. Prioress of the house in 1926. The house
expanded
so quickly that Mother Marvillas was sent to found another in Kottayam,
India, which over the years has expanded to many other Carmels in that
country.
She returned to Spain, and in 1936, as part of the anti-clerical actions
of
the Spanish Civil War, she and her sisters were arrested, relocated to
Madrid, and subjected to fourteen months of house arrest and harassment.
In September 1937 Mother Maravillas and her community relocated to las
Batuecas, Salamanca where they founded a new house.
In 1939 she led a group of sisters to restore the house at Cerro de los
Angeles. From there she led an expansion of the Carmelites with houses in
Mancera de Abajo, Salamanca in 1944, Duruelo, Avíla in 1947, Cabrera,
Salamanca 1950, Arenas de San Pedro, Avíla in 1954, San Calixto, Córdoba
in
1956, Aravaca, Madrid in 1958, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo c.1960, la
Aldeheula, Madrid in 1961, and Montemar-Torremolinos, Málaga in 1964. To
unite these and other far-flung houses, she founded the Association of
Saint
Teresa in 1972. The Carmel in la Aldeheula was hugely expanded with
schools,
a community of houses for the local poor, church, community halls and
other
structures in what effectively became a small town.
In all these works Mother Maravillas was known for her dedication for work
and prayer, her humility and care of her younger sisters, and her
dedication
to the Rules and spirituality of the Discalced Carmelites.
Born 4 November 1891 in Madrid, Spain
Died 11 December 1974 in La Aldehuela monastery, Madrid province, Spain of
natural causes
Beatified 10 May 1998 by Pope John Paul II in Rome -
Canonized 4 May 2003 by Pope John Paul II
Additional Information
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintma6.htm
Catholic Tradition
Devocionario Católico español
Diocese of Getafe español
L'Osservatore Romano
Kirken i Norge norwegian
Marian Information Center of Las Vegas
L'Osservatore Romano
Saint Quote:
The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity the cross
that
He now presents to you as a gift from His all-knowing eyes, understood
with
His Divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and
weighted with His own hands to see that it be not one inch too large and
not
one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy Name,
anointed
it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance
at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special
greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.
-St Francis de Sales
Bible Quote
14 But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of
perfection:
15 And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you
are
called in one body: and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:14-15)
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A Prayer For A Family
O dear Jesus,
I humbly implore You to grant Your special graces to our family.
May our home be the shrine of peace, purity, love, labor and faith.
I beg You, dear Jesus, to protect and bless all of us, absent and present,
living and dead.
O Mary, loving Mother of Jesus,
and our Mother,
pray to Jesus for our family,
for all the families of the world,
to guard the cradle of the newborn,
the schools of the young and their vocations.
Blessed Saint Joseph,
holy guardian of Jesus and Mary,
assist us by your prayers
in all the necessities of life.
Ask of Jesus that special grace
which He granted to you,
to watch over our home
at the pillow of the sick and the dying,
so that with Mary and with you,
heaven may find our family unbroken
in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Amen.
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