DESMAISIÈRES, MARÍA MIGUELA OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, ST.

Foundress of the handmaids of the blessed sac rament and of charity, Sisters Adorers; b. Madrid, Spain, Jan. 1, 1809; d. Valencia, Aug. 24, 1865. María de la Soledad Miguela Desmaisières Lopez de Dicastillo, viscountess of Jorbalán, displayed from an early age zeal for the ascetical life and for charitable works. During a cholera epidemic in Madrid, she attended the plague-stricken (1834) and set up home assistance boards to aid them. In 1845 she established a home to rehabilitate fallen or endangered young women. To perpetuate this work she founded her religious congregation (1859) and acted as its superior general until her death. Papal approval came in 1866. Men who had preyed on the recipients of this charity caused the foundress to be slandered, but by 1865 the institute numbered seven houses. María died after contracting cholera while attending her own religious during an epidemic. She was beatified on June 7, 1925 and canonized on March 4, 1934 by Pope Pius XI.

Feast: Aug. 25.

Bibliography: Autobiografía, ed. m. m. toffoli moyano (Madrid 1981). t. j. cÁmara, Vida de la ven. M. Sacramento, 2 v. (Madrid 1908). a. romano di santa teresa, La beata Maria Michelina del Sacramento (new ed. Rome 1934). e. barraquer y cerero, La siempre calumnida (2d ed. Madrid 1955). a. cabrÉ rufatt, Micaela, entre cardos y espigas (Santiago 1984). Acta Apostolicae Sedis 17 (1925) 292–296; 26 (1934) 160–164.

[i. bastarrika]