Laura Evangelista Alvarados Cardozo
Laura Evangelista Alvarados Cardozo , religious name María de San José , (born April 25, 1875 in Choroní , Venezuela ; † April 2, 1967 in Maracay , Venezuela) was the founder of the order of the Augustinian Recollects of the Heart of Jesus ( es : Hermanas Agustinas Recolectas del Carazón de Jesús ). M. María de San José was beatified in 1995 , her memorial day in the liturgy is April 2nd .
Life
Laura Evangelista Alvarado Cardozo was the oldest of four children. Her parents were Klemens Alvarado and Margherita Cardozo, who lived in a small town called Choroní (Venezuela) and were not married to each other. Laura Evangelista was baptized on October 13, 1875, and confirmation was given to her when she was two years old. Laura grew up in the care of her mother and grandmother and came into contact with prayer at an early age. She learned to pray the rosary and, together with her grandmother, cared for poor and sick people.
After moving to Maracay, Laura started school when she was five. In 1892 she graduated from school, here she was already noticed by her high intelligence and practiced charity. At an early age she had contributed to the family support with her own work. Also in 1892, she announced to her pastor Vincente López Aveledo the desire to become a nun . On December 8, 1892, she took the vow of perpetual virginity and became a loyal help to the pastor in the parish. In the absence of a monastery in Venezuela, Laura took on the job of a nurse in the hospital in Maracay built by Pastor Aveledo. During a smallpox epidemic , she devoted herself to the sick and then continued her work with four other helpers. On May 5, 1896, Laura Evangelista was appointed director of the hospital and led a group of young people called the Samaritans.
Augustinian recollects of the Heart of Jesus
On February 11, 1901, a congregation of sisters was founded , called the Augustinian Hospital Sisters . The work was supported by Pastor Aveledo. The sisters now took care of the sick, looked after the elderly and looked after orphans. The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Caracas gave permission to wear a habit and a way of life according to the Augustine Rule . At the same time, Sister Laura was appointed acting superior . This created the basis for the establishment of a canonical novitiate .
On January 22nd, 1902 Laura made her first profession and took the religious name Mary of St. Joseph . With a special permit, she was allowed to take perpetual vows on September 13, 1903. The statutes of the order, which had been drawn up in the meantime, were approved on September 28, 1903.
The development of the order and its spreading proceeded with great strides, in 1905 Mother Maria of St. Josef the first orphanage for girls. In a very short time, 35 facilities were built beyond the local borders of Maracay. Mother Mary soon received the nickname “Pilgrim of God”. By a decree of the Archbishop of Caracas, Felipe Rincón González of September 17, 1927, the settlement of the Augustinian Hospital Sisters was episcopally approved. The congregation joined the Augustinian Recollects in 1950 . On November 15, 1952, Pope Pius XII. the Decretum laudis and appointed the Augustinian Recollects of the Heart of Jesus to the Congregation of papal law .
Death and beatification
In 1960, M. Maria resigned the office of Superior General at her own request . She took over the baking of hosts for the parishes in the area. At the age of 92, Mother Maria died on April 2nd, 1967. Thousands of people came to the church funeral in the chapel of the orphanage in Maracay. Shortly after her death, she had a reputation for holiness. During the beatification process , the bones of Mother Mary were given to St. Joseph raised . It turned out that the body was not decomposed , the habit was also completely preserved, and the lily placed on the chest of the dead had green leaves. A crystal sarcophagus in a bronze frame was built as a reliquary. This was placed in the orphanage's chapel in front of the altar . On May 7, 1995 Pope John Paul II spoke to Mary of St. Joseph blessed.
Web links
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Science: Mary of St. Joseph Alvarado Cardozo (Laura) - Foundress of the Augustinian Recollects of the Heart of Jesus , accessed on January 4, 2013
- Biography of Blessed Maria San José (Spanish)
- Justo Vicente López Aveledo (Spanish)
- Website Hermanas Agustinas Recolectas del Carazón de Jesús (spanish)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Alvarados Cardozo, Laura Evangelista |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | María de San José; Mary of St. Joseph (religious name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Venezuelan nun and founder of the order |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 25, 1875 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Choroní |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 2, 1967 |
| Place of death | Maracay |