María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa
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7 March | |
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Patronage | Daughters of the Divine Savior, Female entrepreneurs[1] |
María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa (religious name María Antonia of Saint Joseph; 1730 – 7 March 1799) was an Argentine Catholic religious sister who established the Daughters of the Divine Savior. She later became known as Mama Antula.
She was – on the account of her model Christian life of
Life
María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa was born in 1730 in the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata of the Spanish Empire, today Argentina; she was descended from an illustrious family of rulers and conquerors. Her childhood was spent at home, where she led a devout life and decided at the age of fifteen that she wanted to devote herself entirely to God. At that time there was no active cloistered religious life, so she decided to wear a black robe and live with other women in a small community.[2]
Guided by the
In 1780 the retreats in Buenos Aires began with great success, and the
On 7 March 1799 she died at the age of 69, and was buried in Buenos Aires.[3]
Beatification
The beatification process opened in Buenos Aires in a diocesan process under Archbishop Mariano Antonio Espinosa on behalf of Pope Pius X on 23 October 1905 and it concluded its business on 29 September 1906. Her spiritual writings were approved by theologians on 9 August 1916.[7] The formal introduction of the cause came under Pope Benedict XV on 8 August 1917 and it conferred upon her the title Servant of God.[7]
The declaration of "nihil obstat" (nothing against) to the cause was granted on 26 January 1999, and a second diocesan process opened on 3 May 1999 and concluded on 18 July 1999, allowing the formal decree of ratification to be granted on 3 December 1999 so that the cause could proceed to the next stage, which took place in Rome and was known as the "Roman Phase".
The
A miracle in 1904 that was attributed to her intercession, required for beatification, was investigated in Argentina and the process was formally ratified on 15 February 2002. The medical board in Rome met on 25 November 2010 to discuss the healing of the nun Rosa Vanina, but the results were inconclusive; the board met again on 25 June 2015 and approved the healing to be a miracle. Theologians met to discuss the cause on 10 November 2015 and gave it their approval. The case was taken to the members of the Congregation on 9 February 2016, who passed it to Pope Francis for his approval. The pope approved the healing as a miracle on 3 March 2016, which allowed the beatification to take place.[4]
The postulator of the cause suggested before the beatification that she would be beatified in 2016 as Pope Francis strongly supported the cause's conclusion.[8] After it was confirmed that the cause would receive papal approval an article on 10 February 2016 indicated that the actual beatification Mass would be celebrated either in September or October 2016.[9] The beatification took place in Santiago del Estero on 27 August 2016. Cardinal Angelo Amato presided over the celebration on behalf of the pope.[4]
Canonization
In a mass celebrated at St. Peter's Basilica on 11 February 2024, Pope Francis canonized María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, Argentina's first female saint.
References
- ^ "Entrevista a la autora de La Peregrina de los Esteros, sobre la vida de Mama Antula". Caminos Religiosos. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Life and Work". Mama Antula. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Mama Antula and Pope Francis". L'Osservatore Romano. 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ a b c "Finally, Mama Antula will be beatified on 27 August in Santiago del Estero". LaVoz. 12 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
- ^ "Papal calendar for 2024: Not full, but puts spotlight on major events". Angelus News. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ "Care for creation, care for each other, pope says in radio interview". National Catholic Reporter. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ a b Index ac status causarum beatificationis servorum dei et canonizationis beatorum (in Latin). Typis polyglottis vaticanis. January 1953. p. 149.
- ^ "Another step towards the beatification of Mama Antula". Cristo Hoy. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ "The beatification of Mama Antula to be in Santiago in 2016". El Liberal. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.