Blessed María Vicenta Rosal Vásquez, 1820–1886

August 24

Blessed María Vicenta grew up in Guatemala. She wanted to always show God’s love to the world, so she took a new name when she became a nun. She became María de la Encarnación del Corazón de Jesús (Mary of the Incarnation of the Heart of Jesus). With her new name, she would always remind people that Jesus loves us with his whole heart. When the Guatemalan government began arresting Catholics, she moved to Costa Rica. There she built schools and homes for orphans. She even founded the first college for women in the country.

Discuss: How do you reflect the image of God in your life?

Blessed Maria is the first woman from Guatemala to be beatified. Along with schools she created in Guatemala and Costa Rice, she also established an orphanage and women’s refuge in Colombia.

Activity
Clay Heart
Visual/Spatial

Explain to the child that Blessed María Vicenta Rosal Vásquez wanted everyone to know that Jesus loves us with his whole heart.

• Provide red clay for the child that will dry and set on its own.
• Have the child shape out of clay a perfect heart to represent both the human heart and the Divine heart of Jesus that he sacrificed for us in love.
• Allow the clay heart to dry and have the child keep it to remind them of Jesus' love and sacrifice.