Sister Elisabetta Martinez, Foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Mary of Leuca
By Vatican News staff reporter
Feb 24 2023
On Thursday Pope Francis gave approval for Decrees allowing for the beatification of Italian Sister Elisabetta Martinez, foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Mary of Leuca, and recognition of the heroic virtues of five Servants of God from Italy, Brazil, and Spain.
Meeting with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, on Thursday morning, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of Decrees regarding a miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God Elisabetta Martinez, Foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Mary of Leuca. She was born on 25 March 1905 in Galatina, Italy, and died 8 February 1991, in Rome, Italy.
Blessed Elisabetta Martinez
Sister Martinez focused her ministry in areas involving childhood education, the care of single mothers, and service in parishes, leading to her founding the Institute of the “Daughters of St. Mary of Leuca.”
The miracle recognized and attributed to her involved the healing of an unborn baby from “thrombosis and complete calcific occlusion of the left fetal umbilical artery” with “extensive placental infarction and plurifocal alterations of the villi as from hypoxemia” as well as “very severe intrauterine fetal growth retardation associated with brain sparing condition.” Informed of the very grave situation regarding a mother from Rimini, the Superior General of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Mary of Leuca called on various communities to start a prayer novena to ask for a miracle through the intercession of the Foundress. The prayers accompanied the entire pregnancy period, and the baby girl was born on 19 March 2018 in good health.
Decrees for five other Servants of God
The Pope also recognized the heroic virtues of the following Servants of God:
– Fr. Giuseppe di Sant’Elpidio (Giulio Bocci), member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, Founder of the Congregation of the “Sorelle Francescane delle Vocazioni” (Franciscan Sisters of Vocations), born on 15 March 1885 in Sant’Elpidio a Mare, Italy, and died 23 November 1974 in Pesaro, Italy;
– Fr. Aloísio Sebastião Boeing, member of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Founder of the Marian Fraternity of the Heart of Jesus; born on 24 December 1913 in Vargem di Cedro, Brazil, and who died on 17 April 2006 in Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil;
– Sr. Maria Margherita Lussana (Teresa Caterina), co-foundress of the Congregation of the Ursuline Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Asola; born on 14 November 1852, in Seriate, Italy, and who died there on 27 February 1935;
– Francisca Ana María Alcover Morell, laywoman; born on 19 October 1912 in Sóller, Spain, and who died there on 10 March 1954;
– Albertina Violi Zirondoli, laywoman and mother; born 1 July 1901 in Carpi, Italy, who died 18 July 1972 in Rome, Italy. – Vatican News
