Josefa Menéndez

Contents

Josefa Menéndez (4 February 1890 – 29 December 1923) was a Spanish religious sister and mystic.[1][2][3]

She was born to a Christian family in Madrid, and lost her father at an early age. As the oldest sister she had to work to support her family.[2] At age 22 she joined the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix, while she continued working as a seamstress. However, the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus gradually came to dominate her religious thoughts.[2]

In 1920, at age 30, when her sister could take charge of the family Josefa left Spain and entered the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Poitiers, France.[1] Given that she had been a seamstress before, at Poitiers she was assigned to sewing and cleaning. While in France, she reported several visions of, and messages from, Jesus. She wrote a number of detailed visions and private revelations which were later gathered and published as books.[4][2]

The writings

The book "Invitation to Love", a first version of the "Message from the Heart of Jesus" was published in 1938. Pope Pius XII supported the book and encouraged its diffusion. Much of Josefa's writings focus on explaining the mercifulness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.[5]

Menéndez' book The Way of Divine Love is an account of her life and visions.[6] The author Stefania Macaluso stated that the writings of Menéndez are now read worldwide and are increasingly attracting interest.[5]

Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote that in his view the contemplative life of Josefa Menendez has placed her next to saints such as Thérèse of Lisieux and Charles de Foucauld.[7] [3]

Beatification process

The cause for Menéndez's beatification was formally opened on 26 November 1948, granting her the title of Servant of God.[8]

References

  1. 1.[1.2]Giuseppe Mario Potenza, La vetta dell'estasi, 2019 ISBN 888999133X entry for Menendez
  2. 2.[2.2][2.3][2.4]Ann Ball, Modern Saints, 1991, ISBN 1505102502 entry 33, for Menendez
  3. 3.[3.2]Massimo Naro, La teologia della riparazione dall'esperienza mistica di Josefa Menéndez, Ho Theológos, 2024, Vol 41, Issue 2/3, p185
  4. 4.Oeuvre du Sacré-Coeur: Who is Josefa Menedez?
  5. 5.[5.2]Stefania Macaluso, Comprendere oggi il messaggio di Josefa Menéndez. Ipotesi di una possibile ermeneutica. Ho Theológos, 2024, Vol 42, Issue 1, p23
  6. 6.Josefa Menéndez, The Way of Divine Love, 1993, ISBN 0895552760
  7. 7.Hans Urs von Balthasar, Two Sisters in the Spirit, Ignatius Press 1992 ISBN 0898701481 in the introduction.
  8. 8.Index ac status causarum beatificationis servorum dei et canonizationis beatorum (in Latin). Typis polyglottis vaticanis. January 1953. p. 122.