St Joachima

Today we remember St. Joachima. St. Joachima was born during the year 1783 into a very nice aristocratic family in Barcelona, Spain. When St. Joachima was 12 years old she started to show a large desire to become a Carmelite nun.

However, when St. Joachima was 16 years old when her life took her down a different path. When St. Joachima was 16, she married a young lawyer, who’s name was Theodore de Mas. Both of them were deeply devout, and they became secular Franciscans. During the course of their 17 years married they were able to raise eight children.

However, their life was interrupted when Napoleon had invaded Spain. St. Joachima had to flee with all her children and sadly Theodore had to remain behind and he eventually died. After this tragic event St. Joachima re-experienced a large desire to enter a religious community, however she had to attend to her duties as a mother. During the same time, St. Joachima who was a widow was able to live a life of austerity and she was able to choose to wear the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis as her ordinary dress. St. Joachima was also able to spend much time in prayer and she would visit the sick a lot.

After four years had passed, some of her children got married and the younger ones were still under her care. During that time, St. Joachima decided to confess her desire to a priest to join a religious order. With his encouragement and motivation, she was able to establish the Carmelite Sisters of Charity. In the midst of all the fratricidal wars that had been occurring during this time, St. Joachima was briefly imprisoned and she was later exiled to France for a few years.

Eventually St. Joachima was very sick and this led her to resign as superior of her order. During the next four years of her life she had slowly succumbed to paralysis, and this caused her to die.

After St. Joachima had died at the age of 71 during the year 1854, St. Joachima was widely known and admired for her very beautiful prayer life, her deep devotion and trust in God, and for her selfless charity.

St. Joachima was beatified by Pope Pius XII during the year 1940, and canonized by Pope John XXIII during the year 1959.

Prayer to St. Joachima

St. Joachima pray for us that in moments of difficult trial or temptation we may be able to stay close to God and strengthen our devotion and trust in him. Help us to overcome any obstacle that we may encounter during our lives so that we may become closer to God.

Amen

St. Joachima pray for us

St. Joseph pray for us

May we continue to strengthen our journey to sainthood and keep others in our prayers.

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Works Cited

Information (read from, not taken):

Franciscan Media. "Saint Joachima. ”Saint Joachima | Franciscan Media. Accessed 10, June 2021.

Images:

Saint Joachima. June 10, 2021. Saint Joachima - Google Search.