Blessed María de San José Alvarado Cardozo
Venezuelan sister who founded a congregation for the elderly and for orphaned children
- Rank
- Blessed
- Kind
- Founder, Religious
- Life
- 1875 – 1967
- Era
- 20th century
- Feast
- 7 May
- Countries
- Venezuela
Life story
Laura Evangelista Alvarado Cardozo was born on 25 April 1875 at Choroní in Aragua state, Venezuela. From childhood she loved the Eucharist and spent long hours before the tabernacle; in his beatification homily Pope John Paul II recalled that she made thousands of hosts by hand for priests, free of charge. In 1901, with her spiritual director, Father Justo Vicente López Aveledo, she founded the congregation of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of the Heart of Jesus at Maracay.
She took the name María de San José; the Augustinian Recollect sources date her perpetual vows to 1903. The congregation looked after the elderly and orphaned and abandoned children. John Paul II quoted her saying that the ones everyone else rejects, and whom nobody wants to receive, are the ones who belong to the sisters.
She died at Maracay on 2 April 1967. Pope John Paul II beatified her in St Peter's Square on 7 May 1995 and called her the first Blessed of the Church in Venezuela. The Augustinian family keeps her feast on 7 May, the day of her beatification, while her birthday is 25 April.
Works and witness
- Loved the Eucharist from childhood and made hosts by hand for priests
- Founded the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of the Heart of Jesus with Father López in 1901
- Took the name María de San José; perpetual vows dated 1903
- Her congregation cared for the elderly and for orphaned and abandoned children
- Died on 2 April 1967; beatified on 7 May 1995
Saints from the same country
References
- John Paul II, homily for the beatification of 7 May 1995 (vatican.va, hf_jp-ii_hom_19950507_v-beati) – first Blessed of Venezuela, congregation in Maracay, elderly and orphans, hosts made by hand, her saying
- ACI Prensa / EWTN, “Beata María de San José, un ejemplo válido de santidad para todos los venezolanos” – born 25 April 1875, congregation founded 1901 with Father López, perpetual vows 1903, died 2 April 1967, feast 7 May
- Augustinian Recollects, biography PDF (agustinosrecoletos.com) – confirms beatification on 7 May 1995 and that she was the first Venezuelan beatified; text not machine-readable
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.