Laura Vicuña facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedLaura Vicuña |
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Photograph of Laura Vicuña.
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| Virgin and martyr | |
| Born | Laura del Cármen Vicuña Pino April 5, 1891 Santiago, Chile |
| Died | January 22, 1904 (aged 12) Junín de los Andes, Neuquén, Argentina |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 3 September 1988, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II |
| Major shrine | Renca Hill, Renca, Chile |
| Feast | January 22 |
| Patronage | Abuse victims Argentina, ... victims Loss of parents Martyrs |
Laura del Carmen Vicuña Pino (born April 5, 1891 – died January 22, 1904) was a young girl from Chile. The Roman Catholic Church declared her "Blessed." She is known as a helper for people who have been hurt, because she also faced difficult times.
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Laura's Story
Moving from Chile
Laura del Carmen Vicuña was born on April 5, 1891, in Santiago, Chile. Her parents were José Domingo and Mercedes Pino. Her family was from a noble background in Chile. Her father was in the military, and her mother took care of their home.
Because of a revolution, Laura's family had to leave Santiago. They found safety in a town called Temuco. Sadly, soon after, José Domingo died suddenly. Mercedes then moved with her two daughters to Argentina.
Life in Argentina
Mercedes and her daughters settled in the Neuquén area of Argentina. Mercedes needed money to pay for her daughters' schooling. She found a job at the Quilquihué Hostel. The owner, Manuel Mora, offered to pay for Laura's education. In return, he wanted Mercedes to be with him.
Laura soon started attending the Hijas de Maria Auxiliadora (which means "Daughters of Mary Help of Christians") School. There, the nuns taught her a lot about the Catholic faith. She became very interested in her religion.
Laura's Faith and Challenges
Because Laura was so devoted to her faith, some of her classmates didn't like her much. She spent a lot of time praying in the school's chapel. She prayed every day for her mother to find peace and to leave Manuel Mora. Laura had one close friend, Mercedes Vera. She told Mercedes that she hoped to become a nun one day.
During one of her school breaks, Manuel Mora hurt Laura. He wanted her to stop thinking about becoming a nun. But Laura held onto her wish. When Mora stopped paying for her schooling, the nuns at her school found out. They gave Laura and her sister scholarships so they could keep learning. Laura was thankful to her teachers, but she still worried about her mother.
Laura's Sacrifice
One day, Laura remembered a saying from Jesus: "No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends." Laura decided to offer her own life to God. She hoped this would help her mother find salvation.
As time passed, Laura became very sick with a serious lung illness called pulmonary tuberculosis. Before she died, Laura spoke to her mother. She said, "Mama, I am offering my life for you. I asked God for this. Before I die, Mother, can I have the joy of seeing you change your life?" Mercedes cried and promised, "I swear, I will do whatever you ask! God is my witness!" Laura smiled and said, "Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Mary! Goodbye, Mother! Now I die happy!"
Laura passed away on January 22, 1904. She was only 12 years old. Her illness, combined with the harm she had received earlier, made her very weak. She died having offered her life for her mother's well-being. Her body was later moved to Bahía Blanca. One of her famous sayings is: "Suffer silently and Smile always."
New Information About Laura
Some recent studies by people like Bernhard Maier and Ciro Brugna suggest that some popular stories about Laura need to be checked. For example, they say that Laura's parents were never married. Also, her father did not die before her mother left Chile with the children. These studies also suggest that Laura offered her life for both her parents, not just her mother. This comes from notes left by her close friend, Maria Mercedes Vera.
Becoming a Blessed Saint
The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco began the process to make Laura a saint in the 1950s. They asked a nun named Cecilia Genghini to gather information about Laura's life. However, Cecilia Genghini passed away the same year the process started.
The Salesian Sisters were encouraged by other young people becoming saints, like Dominic Savio and Maria Goretti. The process for Laura began in the city of Viedma. At first, it was hard because Laura wasn't considered a martyr (someone who dies for their faith). Also, because she was so young, there wasn't much hope for her to become "Blessed."
However, in 1981, the application was completed. On June 5, 1986, Laura was declared "Venerable." This is an important step towards becoming a saint.
To become "Blessed," a person (who isn't a martyr) usually needs to have a miracle happen through their prayers. In Laura's case, the miracle involved a nun named Ofelia del Carmen Lobos Arellano. In August 1955, doctors said Sister Ofelia would die from lung cancer in a few months. But when she prayed to Laura, her illness disappeared.
On September 3, 1988, Pope John Paul II declared Laura "Blessed." Her special day is celebrated on January 22. In the 2004 book of saints, the Roman Martyrology, Laura is listed on January 22. It says she was born in Santiago, Chile, and was a student of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. It also says she offered her life to God at age 13 for her mother's conversion.
Laura's Photograph
For a long time, no real photograph of Laura was known. People used paintings based on descriptions from her sister, Julia. These paintings showed her as a dark-haired girl with European features.
Recently, a group photograph taken at her school was found. This photo showed what Laura truly looked like. Church pictures have since been changed to show her more accurately. She is now shown as a serious-looking mestizo child, which means she had mixed European and Indigenous ancestry.
Places Honoring Laura
Main Shrine
The main place where Laura Vicuña is honored is at Renca Hill. This is a large park in Santiago, Chile. It has a chapel that can hold 100 people.
Other Memorials
On December 9, 1999, a special place was opened in the city of Junín de los Andes in Argentina. It was built to remember Laura.
There is also a small church in the village of El Durazno. This village is near the town of Combarbalá in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Laura spent some of her early childhood there. Local people helped build this church by donating many adobe blocks.
Memorials in the Philippines
In the Philippines, there are several statues honoring Laura.
- In Makati City, Metro Manila, there is a brass statue of Laura with St. John Bosco and St. Dominic Savio at St. John Bosco Parish Church.
- In Parañaque City, Metro Manila, there is a colored statue in Barangay Don Bosco.
- Another concrete statue stands at Mary Help of Christians College in Canlubang, Calamba City, Laguna.
See also
In Spanish: Laura Vicuña para niños
