Blessed Mercedes de Jesús Molina

Life story

Mercedes de Jesús Molina was born in 1828 at Baba, now in Los Ríos province, Ecuador. Her father died when she was about two; she lived with her mother in Guayaquil, attended a city school, and learned prayer and Christian doctrine from her. Her mother died when she was in her teens. In 1849, at twenty-one, she turned down a brilliant marriage and took up social and evangelical work at an orphanage in Guayaquil.

She worked with the city's Junta de Beneficencia and gave away the goods she had inherited to works for the poor. In 1870 she went with the Jesuits to eastern Ecuador to evangelise the Jivaro (Shuar) people; In Cuenca she later worked as protector of abandoned children, and then she settled in Riobamba.

On 14 April 1873 at Riobamba she founded an institute under the patronage of Saint Mariana de Jesús, later known as the Marianitas, and took her vows. It cared for orphaned and poor girls and received women in need of a new start. She died on 12 June 1883 at Riobamba. Her cause opened on 8 February 1946; on 27 November 1981 Pope John Paul II recognised her heroic virtue, and on 1 February 1985 he beatified her at Guayaquil.

Works and witness

• Turned down a prestigious marriage around 1849 to live a dedicated life
• Cared for orphans in Guayaquil and protected abandoned children in Cuenca
• Went to eastern Ecuador in 1870 to evangelise the Jivaro
• Founded the Sisters of Mariana de Jesús on 14 April 1873 at Riobamba
• Died on 12 June 1883; beatified on 1 February 1985

Saints from the same country

Saint Narcisa de Jesús, Saint Mariana de Jesús de Paredes, Saint Miguel Febres Cordero, Saint Maria Troncatti

References

• John Paul II, homily for the beatification of 1 February 1985 (vatican.va, hf_jp-ii_hom_19850201_mercedes-molina, Spanish) – orphans in Guayaquil, abandoned children in Cuenca, Jivaro missions at Gualaquiza, foundation on Easter Monday 1873
• Catholic.net (Spanish), “La Rosa del Guayas” (es.catholic.net) – born 24 September 1828 at Baba, 1849 refusal of marriage, 1870 journey east, 14 April 1873, death 12 June 1883, cause opened 8 February 1946, heroic virtue 27 November 1981
• Wikipedia (English) says she was born 20 February 1828 in another source; only the year 1828 is stated. The 2015 'patron of missionaries' claim and the riding accident could not be verified and were removed

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.