90 years ago this week, on November 2, 1928, Mother Margarita Maria Maturana arrived to Saipan for the first time. During her stay, she welcomed the little children, much in the same way that Jesus did in the Gospels. Shown here are some of “the little ones” of Saipan at that time. Imagine, perhaps one
On February 22, 1922 Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti became Pope taking the name Pius XI. In 1926 Pope Pius XI instituted Mission Sunday for the whole Church. This day is a day set aside every year on the second to-the-last Sunday of October, for the Catholic Church throughout the world to publicly renew its commitment to the
Like St. Therese, Mother Margarita struggled with prayer for a very long time. In the darkness of her soul, she began to think all her faith had been extinguished. Spiritual consolation was something that eluded both Therese and Margarita, simply because God was acting in their lives to show them that He was more than
The Feast of Saint Therese of Lisieux, lovingly called the “Little Flower,” is celebrated by the Church on October 1st. This date was chosen because Therese died on September 30th. Following an ancient custom of celebrating one’s entrance into heaven the next day, October 1 was chosen to celebrate her life and her eternal birth.
Until 1867, the Mercedarian Sisters of Berriz were able to evade the decrees ordering the religious communities to sell their possessions. But in this year, the Spanish government gave direct orders to sell everything, and there was nothing that could be done to avoid it. Poorer than ever, the sisters continued to serve God. The
The convent of Berriz, today the motherhouse of the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz, is located in a remote, mountainous region of the Basque Country in the North of Spain near France. Berriz is nestled in a majestic terrain, having a long history with deep roots to Our Lady of Mercy. Our Lady of Mercy revealed
The spirit of Blessed Margarita Maria Maturana pervaded the XVI General Chapter of the Institute of the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz which she founded. An updated Missionary Plan for the next six years (2018-2024) was formulated, along with the election of a new governing structure and leadership team. Our own–Sr. Isabel Seman–from Saipan, was elected
ORIGINS (roots) are important. 800 years of “roots” is highly significant. August 10, 2018 marks the 800th Anniversary of the official founding in the year 1218 of the Order of Mercy, also known as Mercedarians. On that date a new religious family within the Catholic Church was established. The prompting came from simultaneous apparitions by
ON JULY 25-Feast of Sr. James, the Apostle– there was a Celebration of the Eucharist at Mt. Carmel Cathedral, presdided by Bishop Ryan Jimenez. Blessed Margarita Maria Maturana, Foundress of the Missionaries of Berriz was also commemorated on the occasion of the conclusion of her “Triduum of Remembrance.” At the conclusion of the Mass, those
July is an exciting month in the life of Mother Margarita Maturana, because during this month God graced her with several glorious events. She was born into this world Maria Pilar Lopez de Maturana, along with her twin sister Leonor, on July 25, 1884, and went to her heavenly home on July 23, 1934. The
