St. Maria Soledad Torres-Acosta, 1826-1887, Emanuela Torres-Acosta
The sickly girl from Madrid who founded the Sisters Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick... they are my friends!

    Daughter of Francis Torres and Antonia Acosta, who ran a small business. From her youth, Emanuela felt a call to the religious life. When she was old enough to leave home, she applied to the Dominicans, but she was rejected due to poor health. She spent much time and prayer discerning her call to vocation, and in 1848 was asked by a Servite tertiary priest to head a new community of women dedicated to ministering to the sick poor. She took the name Mary Soledad, and dedicated herself to the new community, which in 1851 still numbered only seven.

    In 1855 the community split into two groups, one founding a new house in Ferdinand Po. The half that remained with Mary Soledad became the foundation of the Handmaids of Mary Serving the Sick - better known in America (where they have been working since 1914) as the Sisters Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick.
    Saint Mary was briefly relieved of her position, and the group nearly fell apart, but she was soon reinstated. The community received diocesan approval in 1861, and Mary Soledad spent 35 years as superior of the order, leading always by example. The group made a name for themselves working with victims of the Madrid cholera epidemic in 1865.
    By the time of her death, there were forty-six houses across the world. By 1887 it had 47 houses in both hemispheres... and now also in Africa.

Born 2 December 1826 at Madrid, Spain as Emanuela Torres-Acosta

Died 11 October 1887

Beatified 1950 - Canonized 1970 by Pope Paul VI

Images Gallery of images of Saint Maria

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More Information:
    - http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintm21.htm
    - http://www.stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/id596.htm
 

Blessed Pope JOHN XXIII, 1881-1963, Pope in 1958

    The good Pope, an Italian peasant who became Cardinal and patriarch of Venice... and as Pope he convened the council known as Vatican II, on 11 October 1962, one of the high points of the last century and of the modern Catholic Church.

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1165
 

Events of October 11 - Saints of October 11:
http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1011.htm