Фрагмент
портрета блаженной Марии Санктуария Святого Людовика Гонзага,
мученицы-кармелитки
Fragment du portrait de la Bienheureuse Marie Sanctuaire de Saint Louis Gonzague, martyr carmélite
Bienheureuse Elvira
Moragas Cantarero
Carmélite prieure et
martyre
Fête le 15 août
Lillo, Tolède, 8 janvier
1881 – † Madrid 15 août 1936
Autre graphie : en
religion Maria Sagrario de St Aloysius Gonzaga
Béatifié le 10 mai 1998
Autre mention : 16
août
La Congrégation romaine
pour les causes des saints a publié le mardi 13 avril 1997 le décret
reconnaissant le martyre de la carmélite Maria Sagrario de St-Louis de
Gonzague, tuée en haine de la foi en 1936, durant la guerre civile espagnole.
La bienheureuse Elvira
Moragas Cantarero, en religion Maria Sagrario, née à Lillo (Espagne) le 8 janvier
1881 et retournée à Dieu le 15 août 1936 à Madrid, a été béatifiée le 10 mai
1998 par Jean-Paul II à Rome. Pharmacienne, elle entre en 1915 au monastère des
carmélites déchaussées de Ste-Anne et St-Joseph de Madrid. Prieure et maîtresse
des novices en 1927, elle refuse de dénoncer les autres en 1936 durant la
guerre civile espagnole et est fusillée le 15 août à la Pradera de San Isidro. https://www.martyretsaint.com/elvira-moragas-cantarero/
SOURCE : https://www.martyretsaint.com/elvira-moragas-cantarero/
Bienheureuse Marie
du Sanctuaire de Saint Louis de Gonzague MORAGAS CANTARERO
Nom: MORAGAS CANTARERO
Prénom: Elvire (Elvira)
Nom de religion: Marie du
Sanctuaire de Saint Louis de Gonzague (Maria Sagrario)
Pays: Espagne
Naissance:
08.01.1881 à Lillo (Tolède)
Mort:
15.08.1936 à Madrid
Etat: Carmélite -
Prieure - Martyre
Note: Pharmacienne. 1915
Entre au Monastère des carmélites déchaussées de Ste-Anne et St-Joseph de
Madrid. 1927 Prieure – Maîtresse des novices – Prieure. 1936 Guerre civile:
elle refuse de dénoncer les autres. Fusillée.
Béatification:
10.05.1998 à Rome par Jean Paul II
Canonisation:
Fête: 15 août
Réf. dans l’Osservatore
Romano: 1998 n.19 & 20
Réf. dans la
Documentation Catholique: 1998 n.12 p.599
Notice
Elvira Moragas Cantarero
naît en 1881 à Lillo dans la province de Tolède (Espagne). Son père exerce la
"noble profession" de pharmacien. Sa famille est chrétienne et
charitable. En 1886, ils déménagent à Madrid. Elle est confirmée à six ans.
Elève au collège des Sœurs Mercédaires, elle y fait sa première communion. Elle
a un tempérament fort et tenace que ses parents doivent corriger. Après avoir
réussi son baccalauréat, elle entreprend des études de pharmacie à l'université
de Madrid afin de pouvoir aider son père. Au bout de six années, elle obtient
sa licence de pharmacienne, à l'âge de 24 ans, étant l'une des premières femmes
d'Espagne à obtenir ce titre universitaire. A la mort de son père, en 1909,
elle prend en charge la pharmacie, donnant ainsi des preuves de sa compétence
professionnelle. Dans l'exercice de sa profession, elle se montre non seulement
bonne administratrice et juste dans la fixation des prix, mais aussi pleine
d'attentions à l'égard de ses clients, écoutant les malades et les encourageant
dans leurs épreuves. Elle mène une vie de piété solide et fait un apostolat
remarquable dans les faubourgs de Madrid, prenant soin des pauvres et les
secourant de toutes les manières possibles.
Déjà avant le décès de
son père, elle désire la vie religieuse, mais, vu la situation familiale et
pour répondre aux appels de son jeune frère qui n'a pas encore terminé ses
études, elle doit retarder la réalisation de son projet. En attendant, elle
collabore à la catéchèse de sa paroisse et visite les banlieues pauvres de la
capitale. En 1915, elle entre au Monastère des Carmélites déchaussées de Santa
Ana y San José (Sainte Anne et Saint Joseph) à Madrid. Elle y reçoit le nom de
Maria Sagrario de Saint Louis de Gonzague (San Luis Gonzaga). Sa maîtresse des
novices témoigne qu'elle trouve en elle une "femme au caractère fort et
énergique, capable de mener à bien les plus grands idéaux de sainteté".
Elle fait profession temporaire en 1916, et solennelle en 1920.
En 1927, elle est élue
Prieure. Dans l'exercice de sa charge, elle se considère comme une sœur aînée,
ouverte au dialogue avec toutes. Elle mène à bien l'entretien matériel du
Monastère, entreprenant constructions et réparations. Ainsi sa charité, déjà
vécue dans le milieu familial, puis fortifiée au cours de la jeunesse à travers
l'engagement en faveur des pauvres et des indigents, se mûrit dans le service
plein d'abnégation des sœurs de sa communauté. Nommée maîtresse des novices
après trois ans de priorat, elle sait allier compréhension et fermeté et
enseigne surtout par l'exemple. A diverses reprises, elle confie à ses novices
son désir du martyre, surtout après 1931 quand la situation se détériore.
Le 1er juillet 1936,
elle est à nouveau Prieure. Déjà un vent de violence souffle sur l'Espagne. Le
18 juillet, la guerre civile éclate. Ce même jour, on tire sur les fenêtres de
l'église et du monastère à coups de pierres. Le soir venu, Mère Maria Sagrario
réunit la Communauté pour informer les sœurs sur la gravité de la situation et
pour exhorter celles qui le voudraient é retourner dans leurs familles. Le 20
juillet, le couvent est envahi par une troupe qui saccage et détruit tout. La
Mère se préoccupe de chacune de ses filles et ne trouve de repos que lorsqu'elle
les a toutes mises à l'abri. Elle-même avec une sœur se réfugie chez les
parents de cette dernière. Son frère l'invite plusieurs fois à partir avec lui
dans le village de Pinto où il vit avec sa famille. Mais la Mère s'y refuse car
elle veut veiller sur ses filles. Elle s'efforce de leur envoyer une aide
matérielle et un soutien spirituel, les exhortant à accepter la volonté du
Seigneur "qui a tant souffert pour nous". Le 14 août, les miliciens
découvrent le refuge de la Mère et l'emmènent. Elle affronte tout avec
sérénité. Ils la pressent de déclarer par écrit ou se trouvent les titres de
propriété du couvent, les calices et autres pièces de valeur. Elle leur répond
par le silence car elle serait contrainte de donner le nom d'un prêtre, et d'autres
personnes seraient en péril. Elle témoigne ainsi de son amour héroïque pour le
prochain. On l'emmène à la Pradera de San Isidoro et on la fusille à l'aube du
15 août, en la solennité de l'Assomption qui était aussi le jour de sa fête.
Ainsi sont couronnés et son désir de mourir martyre pour le Christ et son amour
inconditionnel de Dieu. Après sa mort, sa réputation de martyre ne cesse de
croître jusqu'au jour où commence son procès de béatification, en 1962.
Bienheureux Dominique,
Marie, Joseph, Louis, Jésus...
26 martyrs de la guerre
civile espagnole (+ 1936)
En Espagne, durant la
persécution menée contre l'Église au cours de la guerre civile, en 1936,
vingt-six bienheureux martyrs:
- à Madrid, Dominique (Augustin Hurtado Soler), prêtre du Tiers-Ordre
franciscain, et Marie du Sanctuaire de Saint-Louis de Gonzague (Elvire Moragas
Cantarero), vierge carmélite (*)
- dans la région du Levant, Joseph-Marie Peris Polo, de la Fraternité des prêtres ouvriers diocésains, fusillé dans le cimetière d'Almazora, et à Palma de Gandia, au pays de Valence, Carmel Sastre Sastre
- en Aragon, Louis Masferrer Vila, prêtre, et dix-neuf compagnons les bienheureux Joseph-Marie Blasco Juan, Alphonse Sorribes Teixeido, acolytes - Joseph-Marie Badia Mateu, Joseph Figuero Beltran, Édouard Ripoll Diego, François-Marie Roura Farro, Jésus-Augustin Viela Ezcurdia, lecteurs - Joseph-Marie Amoros Hernandez, Jean Baixeras Berenguer, Raphaël Briega Morales, Louis Escalé Binefa, Raymond Illa Salvia, Louis Llado Teixido, Michel Masip Gonzalez, Faustin Perez Garcia, Sébastien Riera Coromina, Joseph-Marie Ros Florensa, François Castan Messeguer et Emmanuel Martinez Jarauta, religieux, missionnaires, fils du Cœur immaculé de Marie, massacrés ensemble à Barbastro
- en Catalogne, Jacques Bonet Nadal, prêtre salésien, tué à Tarrega près de Barcelone
- en Andalousie, Vincent Soler, prêtre augustin, qui prépara d'autres, prisonniers comme lui, à mourir pieusement et fut fusillé devant le mur du cimetière de Motril, près de Grenade.
(*) Béatification de douze Serviteurs de Dieu:
Rita Dolores Pujalte Sánchez et Francisca du Sacré Cœur de Jésus Aldea Araujo
María Gabriela Hinojosa et ses six compagnes, dont sœur Marie-Cécile
María Sagrario de St Aloysius Gonzaga Elvira Moragas Cantarero
Nimatullah Al-Hardini Youssef Kassab
María Maravillas de Jésus Pidal y Chico de Guzmán
Le 10 mai 1998 - homélie de Jean-Paul II pour la béatification de onze
religieuses espagnoles et d'un moine maronite libanais - en anglais - site du
Vatican.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/12152/Bienheureux-26-martyrs-espagnols.html
Blessed Elvira
Moragas Cantarero
Also
known as
Sister María Sagrario of
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
16
August (Discalced Carmelites)
Profile
Daughter of a pharmacist.
She was an excellent student,
and in 1900 became
the only woman in
the pharmacy school of
the University of Madrid.
When her father died in 1909,
Elvira took over the business to
support the family. In 1915,
her bother Ricardo graduated as a pharmacist and
was able to take over the business and free Elvira to follow a longing for
religious life. She joined the Discalced Carmelites at
the monastery of
Santa Ana and San Jose, taking the name María Sagrario of Saint Aloysius
Gonzaga and making her solemn profession on Epiphany 1920. Prioress of
her community from 1927 to 1930,
and then again on 1
July 1936 just
a few weeks before her death.
On 20
July 1936 her convent was
attacked and the sisters scattered.
On 14
August 1936 she
was arrested,
and during interrogation would answer every question with “Viva Christ the
King”. Martyred in
the Spanish
Civil War.
Born
8
January 1881 in
Lillo, Toledo, Spain
shot on
the morning of 15
August 1936 at
the hermitage of
San Isidro in Madrid, Spain
8
March 1997 by Pope John
Paul II (decree of martyrdom)
10
May 1998 by Pope John
Paul II
Carmelite nun with
a palm of martyrdom and
a number of pharmacist‘s
tools
Additional
Information
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
other
sites in english
video
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
Martirologio Romano, 2005 edition
MLA
Citation
“Blessed Elvira Moragas
Cantarero“. CatholicSaints.Info. 19 August 2022. Web. 31 March 2023.
<https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-elvira-moragas-cantarero/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-elvira-moragas-cantarero/
Blessed Maria Sagrario,
OC VM (AC)
Born at Lillo, Spain,
January 8, 1881; died at San Isidro, Spain, on August 15, 1936; beatified by
Pope John Paul II on April 8, 1997. Elvira Moragas Cantarero, the third of the
four children born to Ricardo Moragas and Isabel Cantarero, was one of the
first women in Spain to earn a degree in pharmacy--and she did it with
distinction. Her father was appointed the pharmaceutical purveyor to the royal
household and moved his family to Madrid in 1886.
Although Elvira had a
distinguish career planned, especially after her father's death, she felt that
God was calling her to a religious vocation. She delayed entering the convent
on the advice of her spiritual director in order to care for her younger
brother. Finally, in 1915, she became a postulant in Madrid at the Carmel of
Saints Anne and Joseph. She took the name Maria Sagrario of Saint Aloysius
Gonzaga when she was received into the novitiate on December 21, 1915. Her time
of testing was completed with her temporary profession on Christmas Eve, 1916,
and solemn vows on Epiphany in 1920.
In April 1927 she was
elected prioress; later she served as novice mistress. Frequently she expressed
her desire to die a martyr. Two weeks before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil
War, Sister Maria Sagrario was again elected prioress (July 1, 1936). Religious
persecution followed. The convent was attacked on July 20 by an angry mob. The
prioress sent her daughters into safety and herself took refuge with another in
the home of the sister's parents, despite her brother's pleas to come to him.
They hid there until their arrest by the rebels on August 14.
Throughout the period of
her arrest and interrogation, Maria Sagrario remained serene, totally
surrendered to God's will as documented in the testimony required for her
beatification. She refused to reveal anything to the secret police or betray
anyone. This refusal led to her execution by gunfire at the Pradera of San
Isidro.
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0815.shtml
August 16
BLESSED MARIA SAGRARIO OF SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA
Virgin and Martyr
Optional Memorial
Maria Sagrario was born
at Lillo (Toledo) on 8th January 1881. A pharmacist by trade, she was one of
the first women in Spain to be admitted to this qualification. In 1915 she
entered the Carmel of St. Anne and St. Joseph in Madrid. Through her spirit of
prayer and her love for the Eucharist, she was a perfect embodiment of the
contemplative and ecclesial ideal of the Teresian Carmel. She was Prioress of
her community when she was martyred on 15th August 1936. It was a grace she
longed for and accepted in perfection of faith and ardent love for Christ.
From the common of
martyrs or of virgins
THE SECOND READING
From the letters and
writings of Blessed Maria Sagrario
Following Christ by way
of humility and the cross
May Jesus reign always in
my heart! The Lord asks me to be humble, to weep over my sins, to love him
much, to love my sisters much, to mortify them in nothing, not to mortify
myself uselessly, to live recollected in him wanting nothing for myself, completely
surrendered to his divine will.
In this vale of tears,
suffering will not be lacking, and we should be content to have something to
offer to our most beloved Jesus who wanted so much to suffer for love of us.
The most direct way to unite ourselves to God is that of the cross, so we
should always desire it. May the Lord not permit that I be separated from his
divine will.
Blessed be God who gives
us these ways of offering ourselves up to his love! The day will arrive when we
will rejoice for having suffered in this way. Meanwhile, let us be generous,
suffering everything, if not with happiness, at least in close conformity to
the divine will of him who suffered so much out of love for us. However great
are our sufferings, they come nowhere near his. If you wish to be perfect, seek
first of all to be quite humble in thought, word, deed and desire; learn well
what this means and work tenaciously to carry it out. Keep your gaze always on
our most beloved Jesus, asking him in the depths of his heart what he desires
for you, and never deny him anything, even if it means going strongly against
the grain for you.
Blessed be he who
arranges everything for our good! In possessing him, we possess everything.
RESPONSORY
I have fought the good
fight to the end;
I have run the race to the finish. I have kept the faith;
—all there is to come for me now is the crown of righteousness.
Because of the supreme
advantage
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
I count everything else as loss,
that I may partake of his sufferings
by being molded to the pattern of his death.
—All there is to come for me now is the crown of righteousness.
PRAYER
O God,
who by a spirit of prayer and devotion to the Eucharist
prepared Blessed Maria Sagrario to suffer martyrdom,
grant that we, through her example,
may freely spend our lives for you
by faithfully and constantly fulfilling your will.
We ask this through our
Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
“The most direct way to
unite ourselves to God is that of the cross, so we should always desire it.”
SOURCE : https://carmelitequotes.blog/2018/08/15/august-16-blessed-maria-sagrario/
Today is the Feast of B.l Maria
Sagrario of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Carmelite
Elvira Moragas y Cantarero was born in Lillo near
Toledo, on the 8th January 1881, the third of four children born to
Ricardo Moragas, a pharmacist, and his wife, Isabel. When
she was five, her father was appointed the pharmaceutical purveyor to the royal
family, and so the Moragas family moved to Madrid. Intrigued by her father’s
work, Elvira wanted to become a pharmacist herself. Few women in Spain at
the time managed to get themselves into the professions, but Elvira was
determined, and she became one of the first women in Spain to be admitted to
the pharmacy degree and graduate with the qualification. She completed
her degree with distinction, and went to work with her father. When he
died, she continued her work and her professional ability became apparent.
God, however, had
other things in store for her. She discerned a vocation to the
Carmelites, and made up her mind to enter. Her spiritual director asked
her to wait for a while: her younger brother was still in need of her help, so
she had a duty to him; she agreed. In 1915 she finally entered the Order,
joining the Community in the Monastery of St Anne and St Joseph in
Madrid. On the 21st December of that year she received the name Sr
Maria Sagragrio of St Aloysius Gonzaga and began her novitiate, taking first
vows on the 24th December 1916. She was solemnly professed on the 6th
January 1920.
Sr Maria Sagrario
excelled in the monastery. Her pharmaceutical skills came in handy, but
it was her devotion to the contemplative life, her virtues and wisdom which
impressed the sisters. So much so, she was elected Prioress in
1927. In 1930, her term over, she was appointed Mistress of Novices:
again she excelled. On the 1st July 1936 she was
re-elected Prioress.
Two days later the terror
began. Madrid was in an uproar as the anti-Catholic persecution seemed to
grow with even more fury every day. Sr Maria Sagrario, concerned
for the care of the sisters, was making plans to disband the Community and
find safe havens for them. On the 20th July a mob attacked the monastery:
it was time to get the sisters to safety. With great heroism and
efficiency, Maria Sagrario spirited the nuns to various safe havens and told
them to stay hidden until the rage passed. The nuns, though terrified
themselves, saw the serenity of their Prioress. They also noted, and
testified later, that Maria Sagrario was completely open to the will of God and
was willing to accept death in order to protect the sisters.
Maria Sagrario took
refuge with another sister’s family. Her brother asked her to come and
stay with him, but she refused – she had to stay where she was. On the
14th August the house was raided by Republicans who arrested the two
sisters. As Prioress, they were interested in questioning her
– having rumaged through the monastery they did not find any valuables.
They tried to force her to tell where they were: Maria Sagrario remained
silent. When asked as to the whereabouts of the other sisters: again,
Maria Sagrario remained silent. The question process was rough and she
was threatened: yet she remained serene.
The next day, the
Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady, she was taken out to a prairie, the
Pradera of Saint Isidro where she was shot. God accepted her sacrifice:
the sisters of the community survived the presecution.
Text source: http://fatherdirector.blogspot.ie/
BL. MARIA SAGRARIO of ST
ALOYSIUS GONZAGA (in the world: Elvira Moragas Cantarero) was born in
Lillo, Spain, on 8 January 1881, to Ricardo Moragas and Isabel Cantarero. She
was the third child of four. In 1886 her father became the pharmaceutical
purveyor to the royal household and the family moved to Madrid. She completed
her studies with distinction and was one of the first women in Spain to obtain
a degree in pharmacy.
After her father's death,
her professional ability became evident. She also became aware of her religious
vocation, but, on the advice of her spiritual director and at the insistence of
her younger brother who still needed her help, she was obliged to postpone her
plans.
In 1915 she was admitted
as a postulant to the Carmel of St Anne and St Joseph in Madrid. On 21 December
she began her novitiate and received the name Maria Sagrario of St Aloysius
Gonzaga. She made her temporary profession on 24 December 1916 and her solemn
profession on 6 January 1920.
In April 1927 she was
elected prioress and used her mandate to serve the community. In 1930 she
became novice mistress and frequently told her novices of her desire to be a
martyr. She was elected prioress for the second time on 1 July 1936, two weeks
before the Spanish Civil War broke out with a wave of religious persecution.
On 20 July the convent
was attacked by a violent crowd. She provided for the safety of her sisters and
took refuge with one of them at the home of that sister's parents, where she
remained until her arrest, despite her brother's pleas that she move to his
home. On 14 August the "soldiers" arrested her and the other sister.
Her serene attitude and
total surrender to God's will is well-documented by her daughters' testimony.
She was interrogated by the secret police and an effort was made to force her
to reveal the whereabouts of the convent's valuables. She resisted the
questioning in silence and refused to betray anyone.
On 15 August she was
taken to the Pradera of San Isidro and shot. Given the increasing fame of her
martyrdom, the process for her canonization was begun in 1962 and closed in
1965. On 8 April 1997 Pope John Paul II approved the decree establishing her martyrdom.
SOURCE : https://web.archive.org/web/20190126075842/http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/bios98.htm#GONZAGA
BL.
MARIA SAGRARIO OF ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR
16-08-2021 -
16-08-2022 All day
Blessed Maria Sagrario of St. Aloysius Gonzaga was
born in Lillo, Spain, January 8,1881, to Ricardo Moragas and Isabel
Cantarero, the third of four children.
Following in her father's
footsteps, she became a student of pharmacy, excelling in this field, and
became one of the first women in Spain to become a pharmacist. Although
she had excellent prospects in pharmacy, and much ability, she eventually discerned
a call to the religious life, and after some necessary delay to aid her family
she was admitted as a postulant to the Carmel of St Anne and St Joseph in
Madrid, in 1915. She was solemnly professed on the Feast of the Epiphany,
January 6th, 1920.
She became prioress of
her community in 1927, and novice-mistress in 1930. She frequently told her
novices of her desire to be a martyr. Just before the outbreak of the Spanish
Civil war, with its corresponding wave of virulent religious persecutions, she
was elected prioress for the second time on 1 July 1936. On July 20th of
that same year, the convent was attacked by a mob. Mother Maria Sagraria
spirited her sisters to safety and sought shelter with one of them at the
home of that sister's parents. She was arrested, along with the other
sister, on August 14th. Surviving testimony well documents her serenity
and abandonment to God's will. Under interrogation she staunchly refused
to betray anyone, and was executed by being shot on the following day, August
15th, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Beata Maria Sagrario
di San Luigi Gonzaga (Elvira Moragas Cantarero) Vergine e martire
>>> Visualizza la
Scheda del Gruppo cui appartiene
Lillo, Spagna, 8 gennaio
1881 - Padrera de S. Isidro, Spagna, 15 agosto 1936
Martirologio
Romano: A Madrid sempre in Spagna, beata Maria del Santuario di San Luigi
Gonzaga (Elvira) Moragas Cantarero, vergine dell’Ordine delle Carmelitane
Scalze e martire nella medesima persecuzione.
Elvira Moragas Cantarero nacque a Lillo (Toledo) l’8 gennaio 1881, il padre era farmacista; quando ebbe cinque anni la famiglia si trasferì a Madrid dove il padre continuò a svolgere la sua attività di farmacista, fino al 1909 anno in cui morì; mentre la sorella maggiore di Elvira, Sagrario, morì ad appena undici anni nel 1890, fra la costernazione della famiglia.
Elvira ricevette un’educazione e formazione umanistica dal padre che poi proseguì e perfezionò nella scuola delle Mercedarie di San Fernando a Madrid.
Frequentò gli studi superiori con ottimi risultati nell’Istituto Cardenal Cisneros e poi si iscrisse alla Facoltà di Farmacia dell’Università madrilena. Unica donna fra 80-85 studenti, dal 1900 al 1905 frequentò con profitto gli studi universitari laureandosi con ottimi voti.
Ottenuta la laurea prese ad aiutare suo padre nella farmacia ed alla sua morte nel 1909 iniziò a gestirla personalmente, divenendo quasi sicuramente la seconda donna spagnola titolare di un’attività farmaceutica.
Elvira che resse la farmacia con delicatezza e amabilità, stabilì che il sabato fosse il giorno dedicato all’elemosina ai poveri proprio lì in farmacia e questa consuetudine durò per molto tempo anche dopo la guerra; ormai era un appuntamento cui i poveri e bisognosi conoscevano bene e vi si recavano numerosi.
Si ricorda che il farmacista di una volta preparava e confezionava le medicine dell’epoca e quindi a lui si rivolgevano chi poteva comprarle ma anche chi non poteva. Terminati gli studi in Farmacia del fratello Ricardo, Elvira con il consiglio del suo direttore spirituale, il gesuita Maria Rubio Peralta, poi beatificato, decise di entrare nel monastero delle Carmelitane Scalze di Santa Ana y San José nel giugno 1915.
A dicembre dello stesso anno prese l’abito carmelitano cambiando il nome in Maria Sagrario di S. Luigi Gonzaga e la notte di Natale del 1916 fece la sua prima professione; nell’Epifania del 1920 emise la professione solenne o definitiva.
In convento continuò la sua opera di beneficenza di farmacista con l’aiuto del fratello Ricardo, divenuto titolare della farmacia; condusse la sua vita di carmelitana scalza con grande impegno e con particolare gioia; al punto che la Comunità la elesse priora nel triennio 1927-30.
Sempre di buon umore, visse trasmettendo allegria nel servizio a Dio ed agli altri, fra l’altro fu portinaia del monastero. Il 1° luglio 1936 fu eletta di nuovo priora del monastero, pochi giorni prima che scoppiasse la famigerata Guerra Civile spagnola, che insanguinò la Nazione dal 1936 al 1939, mietendo solo fra i religiosi ben 7300 vittime; il 20 luglio la folla attaccò il convento e le religiose cacciate in strada, Madre Sagrario non volle unirsi alla fuga del fratello da Madrid, per poter assistere meglio, per quel che poteva, le sue monache sparse per la città.
Trascorse tre settimane rifugiata nella casa dei familiari di un’altra suora,
il 14 agosto venne arrestata e portata nella prigione repubblicana di via
Marqués del Riscal, famosa per le crudeltà che si facevano.
Fu interrogata più volte, madre Sagrario non rispondeva e scrisse solo su un
foglio “Viva Cristo Re” l’espressione dei martiri di quell’epoca insanguinata.
Durante la notte fu trasportata nella Padrera de San Isidro e nelle prime ore
del mattino venne fucilata, era il 15 agosto del 1936, giorno dell’Assunzione
di Maria, aveva 45 anni.
Non si sa cosa disse in quei momenti, comunque tanto attesi, ma vi sono due foto scattate dopo la sua morte, dove è visibile la serenità del viso, senza smorfie di dolore, con gli occhi aperti pieni di una santa rassegnazione.
La sua morte, considerata un martirio, fece avviare i processi per la sua beatificazione dall’arcivescovo di Madrid nel 1962, che si sono conclusi con la solenne proclamazione da parte di papa Giovanni Paolo II in Piazza S. Pietro a Roma il 10 maggio 1998.
Nell’arazzo per la cerimonia essa è raffigurata con la palma del martirio, vicino ai suoi piedi vi sono alcuni vasi e strumenti da farmacista, sul fondo il convento carmelitano e l’eremo di S. Isidro dove fu fucilata.
In lei i farmacisti di Spagna e del mondo hanno trovato una celeste patrona, che ha saputo stare con competenza e bontà nel laboratorio e nella farmacia, ma con dignità ed eroismo anche davanti alla morte.
La Chiesa la ricorda il 15 Agosto, mentre i Carmelitani Scalzi ne fanno memoria il 16 Agosto.
Autore: Antonio Borrelli
SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91507
María del Sagrario de San
Luis Gonzaga Moragas Cantarero (Elvira). Beata. (1881-1936).
Martirologio Romano: En
Madrid siempre en España, beata María del Sagrario de San Luis Gonzaga (Elvira)
Moragas Cantarero, virgen de la Orden de las Carmelitas Descalzas y mártir en
la misma persecución.
Nació en Lillo, Toledo,
en el seno de una familia de farmaceúticos. Se licenció en farmacia, siendo una
de las primeras mujeres que tuvo este título en España. Tuvo como director
espiritual a san José María Rubio.
En 1915 ingresó en el
convento de las Carmelitas descalzas de Santa Ana y San José de Madrid, del que
años más tarde fue priora. Tuvo un gran espíritu de oración y de amor a la
Eucaristía. Durante la guerra civil, fue martirizada, gracia ansiada por ella,
por ser religiosa, en la Pradera de San Isidro de Madrid.
SOURCE : http://hagiopedia.blogspot.com/2013/08/otros-santos-del-dia_15.html
Pierre Julien, « Pharmacienne et moniale », Revue d'Histoire de la Pharmacie Année 1998 320 p. 456 : https://www.persee.fr/doc/pharm_0035-2349_1998_num_86_320_4714
Voir aussi : https://ihmhermitage.tripod.com/id20.html
