Mother Maria Inès of the Most Holy Sacrament and Maria Valtorta
María Inés Teresa Arias Espinosa, born on July 7, 1904, and died on July 22, 1981, was a Mexican nun who founded six religious congregations and institutes comprising the Inesian Family (priests, nuns, and laity). Their spirituality is Missionary[1] and contemplative.
Affectionately nicknamed "Manuelita"[2], she was the fifth of eight siblings from a wealthy Christian Family.
At 20, she had a spiritual experience during the Eucharistic Congress in Mexico City (from October 5 to 12, 1924) while the country was undergoing a civil War and deep anti-clericalism led by President Plutarco Calles[3]. She offered her life to Christ for Mexico and for the Church. She embraced her religious vocation and from then on immersed herself in the writings of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. During the religious persecution and the Cristero War (1926-1929)[4] she temporarily went into exile in Los Angeles where she led a cloistered religious life for 16 years.
She was beatified on April 21, 2012, at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City by Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, representing Pope Benedict XVI.
Mexico ranks second among Catholic countries after Brazil. About 77 to 80% of Mexicans declare themselves Catholic, representing more than 90 million people.
Reader and promoter of the work of Maria Valtorta
In a letter dated May 22, 1978 to the publisher, she called herself a "fan" of reading the work of Maria Valtorta which had "become one of the most beautiful sources of spiritual reading"[5].
One of her nuns, Sister Maria Uranga, confirmed on July 19, 2001 to the publisher that their foundress had distributed the work of Maria Valtorta in each of the 35 houses she had founded, "because she loved it very much." She had also distributed it to priests and bishops.
Notes and references
- ↑ She established Missions in different countries: Mexico, Japan, Italy, United States, Costa Rica, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Spain, Indonesia, Ireland...
- ↑ Manuelita, derived from Manuela = Emmanuelle meaning "God is with us" in Hebrew.
- ↑ Plutarco Elías Calles (1877–1945), a militant atheist, was president of Mexico from 1924 to 1928. He is also known for his strict anti-clerical policies, which led to the Cristero War (1926-1929). After his presidency, Calles continued exerting major influence over Mexican politics. However, he was ultimately exiled by President Lázaro Cárdenas in 1936, after losing his influence.
- ↑ The Cristero War caused about 90,000 deaths. Among them, approximately 56,000 federal soldiers and 30,000 Cristero fighters were killed. This conflict also caused many civilian casualties, although exact figures are hard to determine. The war broke out in response to the strict anti-clerical policies implemented by President Plutarco Elías Calles aimed at restricting the influence of the Catholic Church in public affairs. The Cristeros, Catholic supporters, took up arms to defend their religious rights, often shouting "Viva Cristo Rey" (Long live Christ the King) as their rallying cry.
- ↑ See the Valtortiano Bulletin, No. 83, January-June 2012, page 4.