Venerable Isabel Larrañaga Ramirez - A Teacher in the name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
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| Venerable Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez |
Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez (Madre Isabel de Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) was a woman who made the call. God chose her at a precise moment in history, the nineteenth century, to experience with the power of the Spirit a charism, as a gift to humanity, and to leave her daughters a concrete way of living the Gospel.
Life
Venerable Isabel Ramirez was born in Manila, the Philippines, on November 19, 1836, to Juan Andres Ma. de Larranaga (the Military Governor of Manila at that time) and Isabel Ramirez Patino. Her father was from Spain, and her mother was born of Spanish descent in Lima, Peru. She was the youngest of ten children. Her parents were Spanish and she was a Filipina by birth and by virtue of citizenship. She was baptized in San Miguel de Arcangel in Malacanang 30 days after her birth.
After the death of her father died in 1838, her mother returned to Spain with the children. Isabel spent her childhood and early adolescence in Madrid and in Lima. Her mother ensured that Isabel received a good education, learning music, painting, and languages (French, English, Italian).
In 1855, Isabel accompanied her mother and brother, Francisco Adrian, to Lima, Peru. There, the eighteen year old Isabel became a teacher and engaged in charity work. She visited patients in hospitals, and became a catechist for children and young people Seven years later, she and her mother went back to Spain, and they resided in Madrid.
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| Venerable Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez |
Doña Isabel with her children returns to Spain. Isabelita's childhood, adolescence and youth go through the cities of Madrid and Lima. She practiced, especially in Lima, the teaching work, as a teacher in some schools. She also committed to works of charity and apostolate, catechesis for children and young people, visits to patients in hospitals to help them die well.
From a young age he felt the vocation to religious life born in his soul, but she always found strong opposition from his mother who, although very Christian, could not stand the idea of separating from her beloved daughter. In order to dissuade her from these purposes, Doña Isabel decided to take her daughter on a tour of different places: from Lima they will go to the island of Cuba, where providentially years later the Mother will found some of her schools; they return to Europe, spend several months in Rome; again they return to Spain: Malaga, Seville, Alicante, Madrid.
Finally, after a hard test, and already in the mature age of 40, it seems that the horizon is opening. She has done the Spiritual Exercises annually and knows the great spiritual good that the Exercises produce in people and also as a source of renewal for society. And he decides to start his foundation. Thus, on February 2, 1877, along with three other companions, he made his consecration to the Lord and opened a Spirituality House in Madrid. At the beginning they constitute an Association or Pious Union of Slave Ladies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, dedicated to this work of the Spiritual Exercises. Later, he will guide his work in a special and priority way towards the educational field.
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| Venerable Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez |
Education is one of the most urgent needs of nineteenth-century Spain, especially in the areas of towns and the periphery of large cities. With generous devotion and endearing love to children and youth, will begin to open colleges and boarding schools where it is most necessary their presence and that of their religious in Spain and in Cuba. And what had its beginning in 1877 as a Pious Union, was consolidated as a religious Congregation in 1883, with the diocesan approval of the Constitutions and the Congregation, on the part of the then Archbishop of Toledo, Msgr. Juan Ignacio Moreno. Since then, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with which it continues to distinguish itself today.
Mother Isabel had to suffer many setbacks, which are the mark of God in his works. The first compañeras leave her and then some more Sisters. But soon more Sisters are arriving, and the work is spreading. Mother Isabel, together with her daughters, to tend to the poorest and most needy; material deficiencies, but also lack of affection and culture. Their great love will be the children, their integral formation, to bring them the message of the love of the Heart of Jesus. She will devote her efforts to them. She wants her daughters to practice with them the office of authentic Christian mothers. The Sisters dedicated to teaching, fulfill it with all will and care. Teach the girls and boys with all care how much they care: the sciences, the material tasks and, above all, the virtue.
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| The mortal remains of Venerable Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez |
In 1894 Mother Isabel sent a religious expedition to Cuba in spite of the delicate political situation during that time. During her second trip to Cuba, she suffered from heart problems which was aggravated with sufferings from the war which eventually led to her death on January 17, 1899. She left a flourishing Institute that, after her death, has extended on the following nations: Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Peru, Chile.
Years later, in 1961, at the beginning of the Castro revolution, the Sisters who were in the Colleges of Cuba, having to leave, forced, this beautiful field of mission, will obtain authorization to bring with them the venerable remains of Mother Isabel. Since then, they rest in the chapel of the College of Villaverde Alto, in Madrid.
The Cause of Beatification
On December 17, 1982 her Beatification cause was formally opened by Pope John Paul II; thereby, bestowing upon her the title "Servant of God". Seventeen Years later on March 26, 1999, Servant of God Ramirez was declared venerable by the same Pontiff.
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| Venerable Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez |
According to the will of Mother Isabel: "Our vocation is to make life in any part of the world where we expect more service from God and help souls, dedicating ourselves to Christian teaching." Today the Congregation continues, founded by the Venerable Mother Isabel Larrañaga, and her work, extended by several countries of the world: Spain, Portugal, Chile, Angola, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Peru.
The Congregation has a broad apostolic task in the Church, an educational-evangelizing mission, carried out in schools and colleges, missions, residences, boarding schools, social centers, pastoral activity: catechesis, parishes; houses of spirituality, spiritual assistance to the sick, social action and human promotion, etc.
This is the life and work of this great woman, who was Mother Isabel. Today, his life continues to be a challenge for the entire Corazonista Family, especially for her daughters. Her work continues to be the living presence of a God made tenderness and welcome, commitment, gesture, word, encouragement, and life.
Her life, and her spirit can be summarized in these trilogies:
-Her Three loves: the Heart of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin and the Church.
-Her Three virtues: ardent charity, deep humility, joyful and surrendered obedience.
-Her Three instruments of apostolate: the teaching of the catechism, the Spiritual Exercises and the promotion of divine worship .
As we conclude this blog post dedicated to Venerable Isabel Larrañaga Ramirez, here is the prayer for her beatification that us faithful to pary with to hasten her beatification and canonization:
PRAYER FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF VENERABLE ISABEL LARRAÑAGA RAMIREZ
Oh God, You granted Your servant Venerable Isabel Larrañaga live intensely united to the Heart of Your Son through a life of prayer and of an exquisite charity for everyone; this we ask that, encouraged by your example, we remain always in Your love and serve with simplicity and joy to our brothers.
Grant us, through her intercession, the favors that we beg you now through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in you.
(Mention your petitions)
Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
For favors granted through her intercession, you may communicate it to:
Curia General
Hermanas de la Caridad del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús.
Jorge Juan, 165. 28028-Madrid (España).
Tel.: 91 726 21 93
secretgral@scj-corazonistas.org
www.hermanascorazonistas.net
Reference:
"Nuestra Fundadora: Madre Isabel Larrañaga", Hermanas de la Caridad del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Retreived from http://www.hermanascorazonistas.net/ver_noticia.aspx?id=69081 on July 2, 2019.
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