Catholic Saints

St. Maria Josefa Sancho de Guerra, (Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus was born on September 7, 1842.  She was born in the city of Vitoria, in Basque Country, Spain.  Her father passed away when she was seven years old, and she went to live with some of her relatives in Madrid.  When Maria was eighteen, she felt a religious vocation and finally became a Nun at the Institute of the Servants of Mary, taking the Religious name “Maria Josefa of the Heart of Mary”.  

In 1871, along with some of her Sisters, she left the Servants of Mary.  They went on to found the Institute of the Servants of Jesus.  Their charism was to aid the sick in hospitals and in their homes, the elderly, children and the homeless.  Any one in need or destitute could find help, love and assistance with the Sisters of the Servants of Jesus.  By the time that Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus died on March 20, 1912 – she had founded 43 houses and had over a thousand Sisters in the Institution.  Today, across the world she has over 100 homes, dedicated to helping those in needs in hospitals, homes, the elderly, children and the homeless.  She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 7, 1992, and canonized on October 1, 2000.  

Practical Take Away

St. Maria Josefa Sancho de Guerra, (Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus) was born on September 7, 1842.  She was born in the city of Vitoria, in Basque Country, Spain.  Her father passed away when she was seven years old, and she went to live with some of her relatives in Madrid.  When Maria was eighteen, she felt a religious vocation and finally became a Nun at the Institute of the Servants of Mary, taking the Religious name “Maria Josefa of the Heart of Mary”.  She and some of the Sisters left the order and founded the Institute of the Sisters Servants of Jesus, that aided the hospitals, homes, elderly, poor, children, and homeless.  At the time of her death, she had founded 43 homes and had over a thousand Sisters in the new Order.  Pope John Paul II canonized her in 2000.