ST JOAQUIMA VEDRUNA VIDAL DE MAS, FOUNDRESS - 28 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 28th of August

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SAINT JOAQUIMA VEDRUNA VIDAL DE MAS, FOUNDRESS 

Saint Joaquima Vedruna Vidal de Mas was born on April 16, 1783 in Barcelona to the nobles Lorenzo de Vedruna and his wife Teresa Vidal. A pious girl, she expressed a desire to become a Carmelite nun, but her parents believed she was not mature enough to make such a decision.

SHE EXPRESSED THE DESIRE TO BECOME A NUN

On March 24, 1799 she married the barrister and landowner Teodoro de Mas (the firstborn of his own household) with whom she had nine children; both husband and wife later became members of the Third Order of Saint Francis and she became known as "Joaquina of Saint Francis of Assisi". 

But Napoleon's invasion saw her flee with her children but her husband insisted that he remain to fight as a volunteer and he died on March 6, 1816; she moved with her children after a few months from Barcelona to their estate of "Manso Escorial" in Vic and she began to wear the habit of the third order on a frequent basis. 

HER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Here she began her charitable activities with the sick and with women. Her spiritual director - the Capuchin Esteban de Olot - suggested she establish an apostolic congregation devoted to education and to charitable works. Four daughters entered convents and two sons married while three others died as children.

The Bishop of Vic Pablo Jesus Corcuera told her the institute should be of a Carmelite inspiration; she made her vows to the bishop on January 6, 1826. The same bishop wrote the rule for the order in February 1826 and on the morning of February 26 she and another eight women professed their vows while she founded the order at that moment.

THEY MADE THEIR VOWS

That morning the group attended Mass at a Capuchin church and then went to her estate to begin their new order. But she also collaborated with Anthony Mary Claret for the writing up of the rule. During the First Carlist War she had to flee from Spain because she had founded a hospital in the Carlist town of Berga that was threatened due to all of the fighting and so she went to Roussillon in France and was there from 1836 until 1842. 

SERIOUS CHALLENGES

Her congregation received the papal decree of praise from Pope Pius IX on August 5, 1857 while the order was aggregated to the mainstream Carmelites on  September 14, 1860; official papal approval came on July 20, 1880 from Pope Leo XIII. In spite of serious challenges that the civil war and secular opposition posed the institute she founded soon spread into Catalonia. Thereafter communities were established throughout Spain and Hispanic America.

SHE DIED DURING A CHOLERA EPIDEMIC

In due course she was forced to resign as the Superior of her order due to sickness; she died during a cholera epidemic in Barcelona on August 28, 1854 but she fell victim to paralysis since 1850. Her first attack of apoplexy came in September 1849 with more following. Her remains are in the order's motherhouse in Vic. Her order now operates in nations such as Japan and Eritrea while in 2008 there were 2012 religious in 280 houses.

PATRON OF EXILES

St Joaquima was beatified in 1940 and canonised on April 12, 1959 by Pope John XXIII. She is patron saint of those abused, against the death of children, and of exiles. 

Information from Wikipedia - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquina_Vedruna_de_Mas - 📷  1. St Joaquima and fellow sisters, 2. Joaquima's remains were found to be incorrupt

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Joaquima may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.