Blessed Margarita de Maturana Biography
Blessed Margarita de Maturana Biography, Feast Day, Date of Birth, Country of Birth, Profession, Place of Work, Date of Death, Place of Death, Beatification Date, Canonization Date |
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| Date of Birth | July 25 1884 |
|---|---|
| Country of Birth | Spain in Europe |
| Matrimony/Holy Orders | Blesseds who were Nuns/Sisters |
| Profession | Missionary |
| Place of Work | Spain |
| Date of Death | July 23 1934 |
| Place of Death | Donostia-San Sebastian, Berriz, Vizcaya, Spain |
| Feast Day | July 23 |
| Beatification | Beatified by Pope Benedict XVI |
| Canonization | Canonized by N/A |
| Patron Saint of | N/A |
Blessed Margarita de Maturana Biography
Blessed Margarita de Maturana, Pilar and her twin sister Leonor were the youngest of five children of Juana Ortiz de Zarate and Vicente Lopez de Maturana. Both girls were known for their piety in their youth, and Leonor joined the Carmelites of Charity. On August 10, 1903, Pilar entered the novitiate of the Vera Cruz Mercedarian Monastery in Berriz, Spain, under the name Margarita. She taught at school and later served as headmistress. In 1922, her health began to suffer and she developed a duodenal ulcer that plagued her for the rest of her life.
Even within a contemplative order in the monastery, Margarita was attracted to missionaries and spent every night in prayer for her work; As her school developed an interest in missionaries, she started a group dedicated to prayer for her. She finally felt the call to go from contemplative life to missionary work and to take like-minded sisters with her. In September 1924, they received permission for a test train to the missions. On November 5, 1926, a group reached Wuhu, China, and on March 4, 1928, another group arrived in Saipan in the Northern Marianas. Margarita was appointed Superior of her house on April 16, 1927. On November 11, 1928, she arrived on her first missionary journey in Ponape in the Mariana Islands.
On May 17, 1930, the Holy Congregation for Religious approved the building of the house in Berriz as a missionary institute. On July 30, 1931, Mother Margarita was elected the first Superior General of the Mercedarian Missionary of Bérriz, where she spent her remaining years of service. She undertook two longer mission trips to the South Pacific, but the ulcer eventually led to cancer, her health failed, and she returned home to treat and administer her home. Today over 500 missionary sisters work all over the world.
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