Blessed Maria Petkovic
Blessed Maria Petkovic (Croatian: Marija Petković; also Maria of Jesus Crucified; born December 10, 1892 AD in Blato, on the island of Korčula, Croatia; died July 9, 1966 AD in Rome, Italy) was a Croatian religious, founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy of the Third Order of Saint Francis, dedicated to charity toward the poor, the sick, and the young. She was the first Croatian woman to be beatified. Her feast day is July 9.
Moved by the poverty and suffering around her on her native island, Marija Petković founded a Franciscan congregation of sisters that spread from Croatia to South America and beyond, serving the needy in the spirit of mercy. She was beatified in 2003.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Maria Petkovic
| Blessed Maria Petkovic | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 09 |
| Profession | Religious sister; founder of the Daughters of Mercy of the Third Order of Saint Francis |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Daughters of Mercy of the Third Order of Saint Francis (Franciscan) |
| Patronage | Croatia; the poor and the sick; the Daughters of Mercy |
| Attributes | Franciscan habit; works of mercy; the poor and sick |
| Birthplace | Blato, Korčula, Croatia |
| Death Place | Rome, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; founder of the Daughters of Mercy of the Third Order of Saint Francis; died at Rome |
| Primary Shrine | Blato, Korčula, Croatia |
Biography
Marija Petković was born on December 10, 1892, at Blato on the island of Korčula, in Dalmatia, Croatia, into a large and well-off Catholic family. From her youth she was devout and given to prayer and charity, and she consecrated her virginity to God.
The poverty, sickness, and hardship of the people of her island—aggravated by emigration, disease, and the upheavals of the early twentieth century—moved her deeply. She began to gather and care for poor and abandoned children, the sick, and the needy, and to draw other young women to share this work.
With the encouragement of the local bishop, she founded in 1920 at Blato the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy of the Third Order of Saint Francis, taking herself the name Maria of Jesus Crucified. The sisters devoted themselves to works of mercy: schools, care of orphans and the sick, and service to the poor. The congregation grew and spread beyond Croatia, notably to South America—Argentina, Peru, and other countries—where it undertook missionary and charitable work. Mother Marija governed and guided it for decades, eventually from Rome, through wars, political upheavals, and personal trials borne with faith.
Maria Petković died at Rome on July 9, 1966. She was beatified on June 6, 2003, by Pope John Paul II at Dubrovnik during his visit to Croatia—the first Croatian woman to be raised to the altars. Her feast is kept on July 9.
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Feast day
July 9
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