Today, 2 August 2023, we commemorate the 126th anniversary of the death of Sister Mª Angustias Giménez Vera, one of our foundresses.
We remember with gratitude the courage and dedication of María Angustias, who became a beacon of hope for those who felt abandoned and helpless. Her tireless spirit and deep commitment to hospitality inspire us to continue providing care and dignity to those who need it most.
María Angustias was born in Granada, Spain, on 21 August 1849 into a Christian family. She always stood out for her great spiritual sensitivity.
In 1871 she met María Josefa Recio, with whom she founded our Congregation. On 21 June 1880, the two Sisters left Granada for Ciempozuelos (Madrid, Spain) to meet with Saint Benedict Menni and lay the foundations of the Congregation of the Sisters Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
On 31 May 1881, she took the habit under the name of Sister Corazon de Jesus and, on the same day, began her novitiate with 10 other young women. All of them would become the first Hospitaller Sisters. After three years, in 1885, she made her perpetual profession.
Regarding her legacy, Saint Benedict Menni commissioned her to write the Report on the Origins of the Congregation, one of the main sources of our spirituality. This is how our foundress defined it: “A simple explanation of the marvellous work of our nascent foundation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is intended to serve as a reminder of what God has done and, contemplating it to inspire fidelity and gratitude.”
Finally, on 2 August 1897, she died in San Baudilio de Llobregat (Barcelona). His remains rest in Ciempozuelos with those of San Benito Menni and María Josefa Recio.
Thank you, María Angustias, for your hospital dedication and for guiding us in this noble mission! Thanks to your example and with God’s graces, we renew our commitment day by day, persevering in being instruments of love and healing for the whole world.
