Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena was born on December 1848 AD, in Velez Rubio, Almeria, in the Kingdom of Spain. She lived as Roman Catholic Nun and the founder of the Catechetical Institute. She died on January 10 1918 , in Madrid, Kingdom of Spain. Her feast day is celebrated on January 10.
Bl. María Dolores Rodríguez Sopeña Biography |
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| Date of Birth | December 30 1848 |
|---|---|
| Country of Birth | Spain of Europe |
| Matrimony/Holy Orders | Blesseds who were Not Married |
| Profession | Missionary and a Roman Catholic Nun |
| Place of Work | Spain |
| Date of Death | January 10 1918 |
| Place of Death | Madrid, Spain |
| Feast Day | January 10 |
| Beatification | Beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 23 2003 |
| Canonization | Canonized by N/A |
| Patronage | Sisters of the Catechetical Institute |
Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena’s Life History
Maria Dolores was born on December 1848 AD, in Velez Rubio, Almeria, in the Kingdom of Spain, as the forth child in a family of seven children, from Tomas Rodriguez Sopena and NIcolasa Ortega Salomon. She was baptized the following month.
Her father had acquired a law degree ata young age and so worked as a farm administrator till he was promoted to magistrate and later in 1866 AD to barister. This exposed Maria to elite social circles though she was only interested in hanging out with the less fortunate of the society. She underwent an eye surgery when she was eight years old leaving her eyesight scarred and limited to shorter distances and low intensity.
Her father then got posted in Puerto Rico in 1869 AD, taking the eldest son with him and leaving his wife with the rest of the children to move to Madrid, at this time being 21 years old, where she taught at a women’s prison.
She secretly used to tend to two sisters who were suffering from an illness and a leper, earlier while still in Almeria fearing that her parents would discontinue her work. The family reunited in Puerto Rico in 1872, where she sought after Jesuit priest Goicochea to be her spiritual director and together later founded the Association of the Sodality of the Virgin Mary and started a school for the disadvantaged children. Her father got appointed a state official in law for Santiago de Cuba after moving there, she set up centers of instruction and taught catechism and provided medical assistance to those in need of it.
Her mother died in 1877 AD in Cuba and her father later retired and returned to Madrid where he died 6 years later after her mother passed. Attempts to join the Venetian Sisters were futile due to poor eyesight. She joined the Salesians of Don Bosco and left ten days later after she realized that that was not her way of life.
She set up a social house that was used as a service center for the poor in the area and established the Work of Doctrines, which later came to be recognized as Workers’ Center. She has visited a slum neighborhood and after developing the urge to offer her assistance to the community, the organization came to be. She established a secular organization for the faithful after persuasion from Bishop Ciraco Sancha of Madrid, which received government approval in 1893 AD.
She made 199 trips all over nations establishing and consolidating her initiatives, accompanied by Father Tann from 1896 to 1900. She visited Rome and the tomb of Saint Peter. She set up the Sisters of Catechetical Institute on September 24 1901, with the suggestions of Cardinal Sancha and was elected superior general of the Order in 1910, having opened communities under the organization in Rome and the Americas. She also set up a civil association, Obra Social Cultural Sopena, which received government approval. Her order received papal decree of praise in 1905 AD and full papal approval from Pope Pius X on November 21 1907.
Maria Dolores was seen to be passionate with life and dedicated herself to making sure that all people lived a complete life. She had joy and fulfillment in showing great kindness ever since she was a child and this made her life to be recognized to be of heroic virtue. She died on January 10 1918, in Madrid, Kingdom of Spain.
Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena’s Birth
She was born on December 1848 AD, in Velez Rubio, Almeria, in the Kingdom of Spain.
Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena’s Death
She died on January 10 1918 , in Madrid, Kingdom of Spain.
Family Background
She was the fourth born in a family of seven children, born from Tomas Rodriguez Sopena and NIcolasa Ortega Salomon.
Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena’s Profession
She lived as Roman Catholic Nun and the founder of the Catechetical Institute.
Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena’s Beatification
She was beatified on March 23 2003, in Vatican City by Pope John Paul II
Venerated in
Maria was named venerable on July 11 1992 by Pope John Paul II and is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church.
Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena’s Feast Day
Her feast day is celebrated on January 10.
Blessed Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena’s Patronage
Her patronage is the Sisters of the Catechetical Institute.
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