Fidela Oller Angelats facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedFidela Oller Angelats RSJG |
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| Virgin, martyr | |
| Born | Maria Dolors Oller Angelats 17 September 1869 Bañolas, Girona, Spain |
| Died | 30 August 1936 (aged 66) Xeresa, Valencia, Spain |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 5 September 2015, Girona Cathedral, Spain by Cardinal Angelo Amato |
| Feast | 30 August |
Fidela Oller Angelats was born Maria Dolors Oller Angelats on September 17, 1869. She was a Spanish religious sister, a type of nun, from the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Girona.
She died on August 30, 1936, during the Spanish Civil War. She was shot and killed on a road near Xeresa. On September 5, 2015, the Catholic Church declared her "Blessed" in the Girona Cathedral. This means she is recognized as a saint.
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Her Early Life
Maria Dolors Oller Angelats was born in Bañolas, Spain. She was the oldest of four children. Her father, Lorenzo Oller Verdaguer, was a potter. Her mother was Margarita Angelats Frigola.
She was baptized shortly after her birth in the Santa María del Turers church. Two months later, she received Confirmation. She had three younger brothers: Lorenzo, Teresa (a male name), and Salvador. Her brother Salvador later became a Marist Brother, a type of religious brother.
Becoming a Nun
When Maria Dolors was 17, she felt a strong desire to become a nun. She had first met the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Girona when they came to her town in 1880. They helped at the local hospital, and she was inspired by their work.
She tried to join the order, but had to go home in 1888. Her father had died suddenly while caring for a sick relative. Maria Dolors needed to take care of her widowed mother and younger brothers. Her paternal grandfather also moved in with them.
Even with family duties, her calling to religious life grew stronger. She returned to the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Girona on May 12, 1892. She began her training to become a nun and took the religious name "Fidela."
On November 17, 1894, she made her first vows. She made her final vows as a nun on October 13, 1902. Sister Fidela worked in hospitals, caring for the sick. People remembered her for her comforting presence.
Leading a Convent
In 1911, Sister Fidela became the leader, or superior, of the convent in Malgrat de Mar. She stayed there until August 1917. Then, she moved to Camprodón.
In 1927, she moved to Gandía. There, she helped start a new convent for her order. She also became its superior. Her colleagues looked up to her for her wise guidance and support.
The Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War began in 1936. One month after the war started, the local church in Gandía was burned down. Sister Fidela was later told to hand over all the convent's money and records. However, she had already sent them to the order's main house.
Sister Fidela went into hiding to stay safe. She moved from place to place, always worried about what might happen. She met another nun, Sister Josefa Monrabal Montaner. They decided to hide together in a house offered to them. They stayed inside to avoid being found.
On the evening of August 29, they were discovered and arrested. During the arrest, Sister Fidela's arm was broken. The owner of the house, José María Aparisi, opened the door to soldiers. He was afraid he would be arrested too, so he told them where the nuns were. The soldiers wanted Sister Fidela, but Sister Josefa refused to be separated from her.
Her Death
Sister Fidela and Sister Josefa were shot multiple times. They died from their injuries overnight. Sister Fidela died on August 30, 1936, on the road between Gandía and Xeresa. She was shot in the shoulder and in her right temple. Sister Josefa died from severe bleeding after being shot in her neck.
People living nearby heard the shots. The next morning, they found the bodies. They buried the nuns in Xeresa that afternoon. In 1939, their remains were moved back to Gandía. Sister Fidela's remains are now kept in Gandía.
Beatification
The process to declare Sister Fidela "Blessed" began in the local church in 2001. This process finished in 2003. The Vatican then confirmed that the process was valid.
A special document called a Positio was created. This document told the story of their lives and showed they were killed "in hatred of the faith." This means they died because of their religious beliefs.
On January 23, 2015, Pope Francis confirmed that Sister Fidela would be beatified. Cardinal Angelo Amato led the special ceremony on September 5, 2015. It took place in the Girona Cathedral. Other important church leaders also attended.
Sister Fidela was beatified along with two other nuns: Josefa Monrabal Montaner and Caterina Margenat Roura. During the ceremony, Cardinal Amato said that "even today, Christians are the most persecuted minority in the world."
The next day, Pope Francis spoke about the three nuns. He said they were "killed for their loyalty to Christ and the Church." He also noted that the nuns always "trusted in God" and were recognized for "the shedding of their blood."
See also
In Spanish: Fidela Oller Angelats para niños
