St. Joaquina de Vedruna

[CyrilSebastian]

                             On January 6, 1826, during a Mass, at the age of forty-two, Joaquina de Vedruna de Mas took the   
                              three vows of religion at the hands of Bishop Corcuera. Even as a religious, she remained   

very close to her children.       
 
 

[CyrilSebastian]

                                   Joaquima de Vedruna was born in Barcelona, Spain on April 16, 1783.   
                                    Her father Llorenc de Vedruna was a notary in Barcelona's royal   
                                    chancery. Her mother was Teresa Vidal. At the age of twelve, Joaquima   
                                     felt a call from God to religious life.

[CyrilSebastian]

Joaquina's childhood was a pious one and she fostered a special devotion to the Infant Jesus.

[CyrilSebastian]

Joaquima embarked on founding a new women's order of nurses and schoolteachers dedicated to serving the poor.   
She showed a pronounced appetite for liturgical prayers, whose richness and savor she penetrated.

[CyrilSebastian]

Napoleon's invasion saw Joaquina flee with her children.   
Her husband insisted that he remain to fight as a volunteer and he died on March 6, 1816.

[CyrilSebastian]

The Bishop of Vic Pablo Jesus Corcuera told Joaquina the institute should be a Carmelite inspiration.   
She made her vows to the bishop on January 6, 1826.

[CyrilSebastian]

Joaquina's congregation received the papal decree of praise from Pope Pius IX on August 5, 1857.