Blessed Maria Mercedes Prat

24 July - Memorial

Blessed Maria Mercedes Prat

Mercedes Prat was born on March 6th, 1880 in Barcelona,

baptized on the following day, and made her first Holy

Communion on June 30th, 1890. From her childhood she gave

herself completely to God, whom she received every day in

Communion. She displayed a great love for her neighbor and

tried to foster this kind of love in others. During her years in

school, she was known for her goodness and her dedication to

school work, excelling especially in painting and needlework,

which were areas in which she had a natural talent. Entering

the novitiate of the Society of St. Teresa of Jesus in 1904, in

Tortosa, she made her temporary profession in 1907. She was

a religious, according to the heart of God: ‟ prudent, and

truthful, calm and gentle in her reactions, having a natural

goodness in all her dealings with others, but firm in character.

God was her one love, and her love for God kept growing to

the point where she would give her life for Him. In 1920 she

was assigned to the motherhouse in Barcelona. From there the

path to martyrdom began on July 9th, 1936, when the

community was forced to give up the school and flee. On July 23rd,

because she was a religious, Sr. Mercedes was arrested

and shot; she died in the early morning of the 24th of July.

PRAYER

God, Father of infinite goodness, you gave Blessed Maria

Mercedes, Virgin, the courage to bring to fullness in

martyrdom her offering to you and to the Church. Grant us,

through her intercession, the grace to be so firmly rooted in

the love of Christ that nothing can ever separate us from this

love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who

lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for

ever and ever.

Amen

Above text taken from "ADDITIONAL DISCALCED PROPER OFFICES a

Discalced Carmelite Supplement for the 1993 Carmelite Proper"

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Community, OCDS - Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, Hudson, NH