Spain: Bicentenarial of Dorotea de Chopitea

on 20 Jun, 2016
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Barcelona (Spain), 06/05/2016, Sr. Gemma Morató.- Last June 4, feast of the Sacred Heart, some sisters participated in the Eucharistic Celebration in the Church of Tibidabo in Barcelona. Although the Mass was centered on the feast of the Sacred Heart, it also spoke of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Venerable Dorotea de Chopitea, which was to be celebrated on the following day. A crowded celebration with procession and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament walked the streets in the city of Barcelona. A beautiful moment of communion with so many people who live, suffer and / or do not know the love of God.

Book on Dorotea de ChopiteaBook on Dorotea de ChopiteaDoña Dorotea de Chopitea (Chile, 1816 - Barcelona, 2016) is considered the driving force behind the most important social work done in Barcelona during the nineteenth century. There were many parishes and congregations who benefited from her generosity, especially Salesians and Jesuits, and ours as well. When our Congregation, together with the then Canon Morgades, who was soon to become the bishop of Vic and later of Barcelona, encouraged us in 1870 to go to the Asylum of Good Council in Corts for “misled” women, many who had been involved in prostitution. Doña Dorotea collaborated with the project, doing it as her own personal apostolate, taking care of the education of those in the Asylum as well as all its economic needs. The Asylum of Good Council was later enlarged and transformed into a boarding school and functioned until 1936.
 

The driving force behind the most important social work done in Barcelona during the nineteenth century

This year, the Archbishop of Barcelona created a commission, with the representation from each Congregation which benefitted from her generosity. This commission is organizing the events for the bicentennial celebration of this amazing woman and to move forward her beatification with the following expressions of her sanctity:
 
  • Lay woman, wife and mother of a family
  • Profound, continual spiritual formation
  • Authentic in her practice of religion, conformed to the Gospel, especially notable is her way of personally living poverty, in a socially rich environment
  • Pioneer in her activities as a benefactor, in line with the social action of the Church
  • Effective manager and personal involvement in her charitable projects
  • Useful intervention in the social activity of the city: Barcelona, which she loved deeply, and in whose history she is included as a famous person

To know more about her, the commission has created a website: www.doroteadechopitea.com