María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray
A Spanish religious of the congregation of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, she dedicated her life to the home care of the sick with heroic humility and charity.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
Biography
Youth and family devotion of María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray in Pamplona.
María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray was born on November 25, 1848, in Pamplona, Spain. The youngest of eight children, she grew up in a wealthy Christian family. After the death of her parents, she took over the management of the family home to care for her sick and dependent relatives, demonstrating a great spirit of charity from a very early age.
Life and Work
Religious commitment within the Servants of Mary and heroic service to the sick.
After caring for her family, she entered the novitiate of the Servants of Mary in Pamplona in 1881. Under the name of Sister María Desposorios, she dedicated herself for 23 years to the care of the sick at home in Madrid, particularly during the cholera and smallpox epidemics. She then spent seven years collecting alms to support the work of her congregation.
Path to holiness
The illness of Sister María Desposorios and the introduction of her cause for beatification.
Afflicted with painful bone tuberculosis starting in 1913, she accepted the trial with resignation and passed away on October 10, 1918, in Madrid. Her cause for beatification was introduced in 1962, and she was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1981.
Beatification and canonization
Recognition of the miracle and celebration of the beatification in Madrid.
On April 2, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI approved a miracle attributed to her intercession: the unexplained healing of Dr. Luis Fernando Padilla Gómez in Bolivia in 2004. She was beatified on October 29, 2011, at the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid by Cardinal Angelo Amato.
Spirituality and legacy
The spirituality of service and Eucharistic devotion of the Blessed.
Her spirituality rests on an intimate union with Christ and an ardent devotion to the Eucharist. Her motto, "I am made only to serve," testifies to her humility. Her relics are venerated at the Mother House of the Servants of Mary in Madrid, and her feast is celebrated on October 10.
The supernatural in their life
The miracles of María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray
Frequently asked questions about María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray
Who was María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray?
A Spanish religious of the congregation of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, she dedicated her life to the home care of the sick with heroic humility and charity.
What is María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray invoked for?
María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray is invoked for: les malades, the sick, les personnes souffrant de tuberculose osseuse and people suffering from bone tuberculosis.
What miracles are attributed to María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray?
1 miracle are attributed to this saint, notably: Healing.
Which saints were contemporaries of María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray?
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.
When did María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray die?
María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray died around 1918.
What are the other names of María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray?
Other forms of the name: Sœur María Desposorios, Marie des Épousailles and Maria dello Sposalizio.
Who are the relatives of María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray?
Relatives of María Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray: Tiburcio Irigoyen (father), Leonarda Echegaray (mother), José María Irigoyen (twin brother), Mercedes Irigoyen (aunt) and José Luis (uncle).
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Era / death: 1918
- Beatification in 2011 by Benedict XVI
Quotes
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I am made only to serve
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