They thank God for Beatification of Sor Juana de la Cruz

With the participation of hundreds of faithful who attended the monastery and sanctuary of Santa María de la Cruz and Santa Juana, in Cubas de la Sagra, Diocese of Getafe (Spain), the Catholic Church celebrated this Sunday, March 2, a Thanksgiving Mass for the beatification of Sor Juana de la Cruz.

In his homily, the Apostolic Nuncio in Spain, Mons. Bernardito Auza, stressed that Sister Juana’s life “has a message for the church of all time and also today. His word is not empowerment, but of love, humility, service in favor of the redemption and conversion of the souls of the people in the area. His word is a light for them. ”

Sr. Juana: He received the stigmas of Christ and became counselor of Emperor Carlos V

Sor Juana de la Cruz was a Franciscan nun born on May 3, 1481 in Azaña, today municipality of Numancia de la Sagra, in the Spanish province of Toledo. He entered the monastery of Cubas de la Sagra on the day he turned 15, despite the opposition of his family.

During his religious life he experienced ecstasy and received the stigmas of Christ. His preaching touched many hearts and led to be recognized with the position of pastor, a normally reserved responsibility for priests.

Emperor Carlos V came to appoint him counselor of the Empire.

He died with a reputation of holiness on May 3, 1534. Pope Francis approved his beatification on November 25, 2024, after two previous processes that had been truncated.

“Preacher and pastor”

In his initial greeting at the beginning of the celebration, the bishop of Getafe, Mons. Ginés García Beltrán, stressed that the life of Sor Juana de la Cruz had “Gospel flavor.”

“His word, the evangelizing and catechetical wealth of his preaching, the prophetic voice of a strong woman, the gift of advice, the proximity to all, the value of the Christian initiation, great challenge for the present moment of the Church, the announcement to those who are not close, which today we call first announcement, and even the misunderstanding and persecution make their lives a true testimony of holiness for its time and for today.

“Blessed Juana de la Cruz, preacher and pastor, is also a significant example of the presence and participation of women in the Church, is a beautiful example of the past that illuminates the present moment,” he said.

In the Mass, among others, the Archbishop of Toledo, Mons. Francisco Cerro Chaves also participated; The Archbishop of Oviedo, Mons. Jesús Sanz Montes; the archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz, Mons. José Rodríguez Carballo; and the auxiliary bishops of Getafe and Madrid, Mons. José María Avendaño and Mons. Juan Antonio Martínez Camino, respectively.

“Four crosses”

In his homily, Mons. Bernardito Auza recalled that “Sor Juana de la Cruz spoke of four crosses: that of the flesh; that of the world, which leads us to look for its esteem; that of the devil, that makes us fall into distrust in God; and the cross of Jesus Christ, in which he manifests his love. ”

“Beata teaches us what is typical of the Christian, communicating irradia the joy of the knowledge of the goodness of Christ,” he said.

“The Gospel has told us that the Christian cannot make hard judgments against his neighbor; Sor Juana’s life comes to offer us as an example that this teaching lives. The disciple of Christ has to be merciful, as the Lord and the Father of the Lord are merciful, ”he said.

The monastery in which the Virgin Mary appeared

The monastery and sanctuary of Santa María de la Cruz and Santa Juana is a very special place, because there appeared the Virgin Mary to a girl between 12 and 13 named Inés Martínez, on March 1, 1449, decades before the birth of Sister Juana.

Precisely the construction of the sanctuary began in the place where the Virgin nailed a cross, asking that a church is built there.