Pope St. John Paul II, who beatified Mother María, said, “She was convinced that it was only through loving and living poverty that one could be truly ‘poor with the poor.’”
Welcome to "North American Sanctity," a series on holy men and women, boys and girls, saints and those on the road to sainthood, from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Some will be familiar, others less so; but all are inspiring!
By Kimberly Bruce
Saint María Guadalupe Garcia Zavala, also known as “Mother Lupita” (feast day: June 24), is the patron saint of nurses. She co-founded the Handmaids of St. Margaret Mary and the Poor, and in 2013 became Mexico’s second female saint. (The first was St. María of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, canonized in 2000).
In addition to Mother Lupita’s great devotion to the poor, she is remembered for her protection of priests during the religious persecution of the faithful in early 20th century Mexico.
Call to serve the poor
Born Apr. 27, 1878 in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, María was the daughter of a religious items shop owner whose establishment was situated in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan. Little María frequented this church often to say her prayers throughout her young life.
Planning to wed Gustavo Arreola, María abruptly changed her life’s plans at the age of 23. She had, instead, discerned a vocation to the religious life with a distinct call to serve the poor and the sick. She confided this change of plans to her spiritual director, Fr. Cipriano Iñiguez. Father Iñiguez responded that he, too, felt called to begin a congregation dedicated to serving those in hospitals, and suggested María join him in this endeavor.
On Oct. 13, 1901, the Congregation of the Handmaids of St. Margaret Mary (Alacoque) and the Poor was begun, with newly consecrated Sr. María as its first Superior General.
Joyfulness
The new congregation grew very rapidly. Mother María was always filled with love and joy and taught her religious Sisters mostly by her example. She endeavored to maintain this attitude of joyfulness in everything she did, while also maintaining an attitude of interior poverty.
Pope St. John Paul II, who beatified her, said, “She was convinced that it was only through loving and living poverty that one could be truly ‘poor with the poor.’”
Never too proud to beg when circumstances called for it, Mother María collected money from others whenever the hospital was desperate for funds to continue aiding the poor and sick. Her Sisters also helped parishes whenever priests needed help, or when they needed catechetical instructors.
When persecution of the faithful became widespread in Mexico from 1911-1936, Mother María risked her life by hiding priests, including the archbishop of Guadalajara, in her hospital.
A noble quality exhibited by Mother María is that whenever those who persecuted the Church arrived at her hospital for any treatments, she treated them with the same charity she showed to others. Because of this, said St. John Paul II, “It was not long before they, too, began defending the sick in the hospital run by the Sisters.” Some even defended the hospital from attacks.
Merciful to all
Mother María acted mercifully to all, just like St. Faustina, who in her Diary expressed:
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 163).
Seeing the results her mercy had upon her adversaries, Mother María was able to see what Our Lord subsequently told St. Faustina:
You should not worry too much about adversities. The world is not as powerful as it seems to be; its strength is strictly limited. Know, My daughter, that if your soul is filled with the fire of My pure love, then all difficulties dissipate like fog before the sun’s rays and dare not touch the soul. All adversaries are afraid to start a quarrel with such a soul, because they sense that it is stronger than the whole world… (Diary, 1643).
How do we treat those who think differently than us? Or worse, persecute us? Do we treat and respond to them with the same generosity of heart we show to those who agree with and love us? May St. María's example serve to inspire us to change to become more Christ-like in our dealings with all.
Worldwide Congregation
Mother María suffered greatly during the final two years of her life from illness. She passed away on Jun. 24, 1963, at age 85.
Today, Mother’s Congregation boasts 22 foundations throughout the world in Mexico, Peru, Iceland, Greece, and Italy.
Saint María Guadalupe Garcia Zavala, pray for us!
Next in the series: Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky, June 27
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