Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas
Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas were two Spanish religious sisters martyred in 1936 during the Civil War and beatified in 1998.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
Biography
Presentation of the origins and youth of Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas Cantarero in Spain.
Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez (Sister Rita of the Sorrowful Virgin) was born on February 18, 1853, in Aspe (Alicante) into a pious family. She was actively involved in her parish (catechist, Daughters of Mary, Third Order of Saint Francis, Society of Saint Vincent de Paul) before entering the Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, founded by Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez, in 1888.
Elvira Moragas Cantarero (Sister María Sagrario of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga) was born on January 8, 1881, in Lillo (Toledo). The daughter of the pharmacist Ricardo Moragas and Isabel Cantarero, she studied pharmacy at the Central University of Madrid, becoming one of the first women in Spain to manage her own pharmacy after her father's death. Recognized for her charity toward the poor, she entered the Carmel of Saint Anne and Saint Joseph in Madrid in 1915.
Life and work
The religious journey and responsibilities held by the two blessed women within their respective congregations.
Sister Rita Dolores pronounced her vows in 1890. She became superior of the Santa Susana college in Madrid (1891), mistress of novices in Fuensalida (1894), and then superior general of her congregation from 1900 to 1928, working for the education of orphans and poor young girls. Having become almost blind, she then retired to Madrid.
Elvira took the Carmelite habit under the name of María Sagrario of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga in 1915 and pronounced her solemn vows in 1920. She was elected prioress of her monastery in 1927, and again on July 1, 1936, spiritually preparing her community for the imminent troubles of the Civil War.
Path to holiness
The heroic martyrdom of Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas Cantarero during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
On July 20, 1936, Republican militiamen attacked the Santa Susana school. Mother Rita, 83 years old and blind, was arrested with her nurse, Sister Francisca Aldea Araujo. They were shot at Canillejas. Their bodies exhaled a sweet fragrance and remained supple. Meanwhile, Mother María Sagrario dispersed her community to protect them and took refuge with her family. Arrested on August 14, 1936, she refused to hand over the convent's property or denounce the priests. She was shot at the Pradera de San Isidro during the night of August 14 to 15, 1936.
Beatification and canonization
The stages of the beatification processes and the solemn celebration by Pope John Paul II in 1998.
The diocesan processes opened in Madrid after the war (1954 for Rita Josefa, 1962 for María Sagrario). The decrees of martyrdom were promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1997 (April 8 for María Sagrario and July 7 for Rita Josefa). The two religious sisters were beatified together on May 10, 1998, by John Paul II in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican.
Spirituality and legacy
The spiritual legacy of the two blessed, one devoted to education and the other patroness of Polish pharmacists.
Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez leaves behind the memory of a wise superior, abandoned to Providence and devoted to the education of the poor. Her remains rest at the Villaverde college in Madrid.
María Sagrario Moragas Cantarero is venerated as the patroness of pharmacists in Poland, illustrating the alliance between science and contemplative life. Her remains rest at the Discalced Carmelite convent in Madrid.
Frequently asked questions about Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas
Who was Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas?
Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas were two Spanish religious sisters martyred in 1936 during the Civil War and beatified in 1998.
What is Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas the patron saint of?
Patronage of Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas: Pharmaciens en Pologne and Pharmacists in Poland.
How did Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas die?
Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas suffered martyrdom for the Christian faith (20th century).
Which saints were contemporaries of Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas?
Contemporaries include: Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Felipe de Jesús Munárriz and 50 companions, Mariano de Jesús Euse Hoyos and Teresa of Jesus of the Andes.
What are the other names of Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas?
Other forms of the name: Sœur Rita de la Vierge des Douleurs, Rita Dolores du Cœur de Jésus, Sœur María Sagrario de Saint Louis de Gonzague and Elvira Moragas Cantarero.
Who are the relatives of Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas?
Relatives of Rita Josefa Pujalte Sánchez and María Sagrario Moragas: Ricardo Moragas (father of María Sagrario) and Isabel Cantarero (mother of María Sagrario).
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Era / death: 1936
- Beatification in 1998 by John Paul II