Born in 1870 in a small town in Spain, Genoveva had a difficult childhood. Her parents died when she was only eight. When she was thirteen, doctors had to amputate her leg because of an infection. Genoveva spent much of her time alone and she found comfort in spiritual reading. Her reading helped her to know that God has a plan for each of us.
At fifteen, Genoveva moved into the Mercy Home. The nuns who ran the home treated her leg, which had never healed properly, taught her to sew, and helped her to see the joy and prayerfulness of community life. She wanted to join the nuns in their work, but her health was not strong enough.
After she left Mercy Home, Genoveva formed a new religious community dedicated to serving the needs of elderly women who were retired from a lifetime of hard work. She named the order the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Angels. The nuns became known as “Angelicas.” Genoveva and her sisters were like angels to the women they served. The order grew quickly, spreading throughout Spain.
When she was canonized a saint in 2003, Pope John Paul II called Genoveva an “instrument of God’s tender love.” We thank God for St. Genoveva. Like her, we can care about people who are lonely or neglected in our world today.
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