Genoveva Torres Morales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintGenoveva Torres Morales |
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| Born | 3 January 1870 Almenara, Castellón, Spain |
| Died | 5 January 1956 (aged 86) Zaragoza, Spain |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 29 January 1995, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II |
| Canonized | 4 May 2003, Madrid, Spain by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | |
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Genoveva Torres Morales (born January 3, 1870 – died January 5, 1956) was a Spanish Catholic nun. She started her own group of nuns called the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Holy Angels. Her main goal was to help and care for women. People often called her an "Angel of Solitude" because of her kind and peaceful nature. Pope John Paul II declared her a saint in 2003. He had first declared her "blessed" in 1995.
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Life Story of Genoveva
Genoveva Torres Morales was born in Almenara, Spain, in 1870. She was the youngest of six children. Sadly, both her parents died before she turned eight years old. Four of her brothers also passed away around this time.
Genoveva was then cared for by her oldest brother, José, who was 18. Life was very difficult for her. She did not get much affection or friendship. This made her used to being alone. Despite these challenges, her strong faith never weakened.
Early Challenges
In 1882, when Genoveva was 12, she got a serious infection in her knee. This led to her leg being amputated. After this, she had to use crutches to walk. She found comfort in reading spiritual books.
In 1885, she moved to a special home run by the Carmelites. There, she learned how to sew. She stayed there for almost ten years. During this time, she grew stronger in her faith. She also started to like the idea of living in a community with other religious people.
Starting a New Community
Genoveva wanted to join the Carmelite nuns. However, her health problems made it impossible. In 1895, she went back to her hometown. She had a new idea: to start her own group of nuns. This group would focus on helping older women.
She talked to many spiritual leaders, including some Jesuits. She began to plan how to make her dream come true. Her first goal was to open special homes for women who needed help. The very first home opened in 1911 in Valencia.
Soon, more homes opened in other cities like Barcelona and Santander. A main house and a training center for new nuns were also set up. This led to the official start of her own group, the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Holy Angels. The sisters in her group became known as "Angelicas."
Later Years and Passing
In the 1950s, Genoveva's health got worse. She also became deaf. In 1953, her religious group received official approval from Pope Pius XII. This was a very important step for her congregation.
In 1954, she stepped down from her role as the Mother General, or leader, of her group. Genoveva Torres Morales passed away in early 1956 in Zaragoza. She was known as the "Angel of Solitude" because of her peaceful spirit and deep faith in Jesus Christ.
Becoming a Saint
The process to make Genoveva a saint began in Zaragoza on July 12, 1975. At this time, Pope Paul VI gave her the title of Servant of God. This means the Church officially started looking into her life.
Steps to Sainthood
First, people gathered many documents and stories about her life. This part of the process lasted from 1976 to 1978. All this information was then sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome in 1987.
On January 22, 1991, Pope John Paul II agreed that Genoveva had lived a life of great goodness and faith. He then declared her to be Venerable. This is the next step on the path to sainthood.
Beatification and Canonization
For Genoveva to be declared "blessed" (beatified), a miracle had to be proven. A miracle linked to her prayers was investigated. Pope John Paul II approved this miracle on July 2, 1994. He then beatified her on January 29, 1995. This means she was officially recognized as "Blessed Genoveva."
For her to become a saint (canonized), a second miracle was needed. This second miracle was approved on November 19, 1999. Finally, Pope John Paul II officially declared her a saint on May 4, 2003, during his visit to Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Genoveva Torres Morales para niños
