Blessed Catalina de María Rodríguez
Córdoba nun who founded Argentina's first women's apostolic congregation
- Rank
- Blessed
- Kind
- Founder, Religious
- Life
- 1823 – 1896
- Era
- 19th century
- Countries
- Argentina
Life story
Josefa Saturnina Rodríguez de Zavalía was born on 27 November 1823 in Córdoba, Argentina, and later took the religious name Catalina de María. According to Argentine sources, she devoted her life to restoring the dignity of poor girls and women of the nineteenth century.
On 29 September 1872 she founded the Congregation of the Slaves of the Heart of Jesus, the first women's congregation of apostolic life in Argentina. It organised retreat houses on the Ignatian model and spirituality centres for women. Today it is present in several Argentine provinces, Chile, Spain and Benin.
She died on 5 April 1896 in Córdoba. A miracle in Tucumán, the recovery of Sofía Acosta after she had been reported dead, was approved by physicians in July 2016 and by theologians in January 2017, and Pope Francis approved it in May 2017. She was beatified on 25 November 2017 in Córdoba, with Cardinal Angelo Amato presiding on behalf of Pope Francis. Her feast is set for 27 November, her birthday.
Works and witness
- Founded the Slaves of the Heart of Jesus on 29 September 1872
- Argentina's first women's congregation of apostolic life
- Organised Ignatian retreat houses and spirituality centres for women
- Died on 5 April 1896
- Beatified on 25 November 2017
Saints from the same country
References
- EWTN News (ACI Prensa), 'Beatifican en Argentina a la Madre Catalina' (25 November 2017)
- Wikipedia (Spanish), 'Catalina de María Rodríguez' (read in full; dates, foundation, miracle approval)
- ACI Prensa/Diario de Cuyo search results corroborating birth 27 November 1823 and death 5 April 1896
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.