Catholic Fire

May 12, 2013. (Romereports.com) With Latin American flags waving through St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis canonized two Hispanic nuns. 'Mother Lupita' from Mexico and 'Mother Laura' from Colombia were declared saints, along with roughly 800 Italian martyrs from Otranto.   The canonization of Sister Laura Montoya, marks the first time a Colombian has been raised to the altars. The Pope highlighted her tireless work in  both educating and evangelizing within indigenous communities.   POPE FRANCIS “St. Laura Montoya was an instrument of evangelization. First as teacher and then as the spiritual mother of the indigenous community. She brought them hope, by showing them the love she learned from God. She led them to God with an effective pedagogy that was not contrary to their own culture.” The new Mexican saint dedicated her life to helping the poor. Speaking in Spanish, the Pope said her example should encourage others to help the needy. POPE FRANCIS “St. ...

(Romereports.com) Benedict XVI will announce on Monday the date for the canonization of over 800 new saints for the Catholic Church, during a consistory with cardinals. Among the soon to be saints are Mother Laura, the first Colombian saint, and Mother Lupita, the second female Mexican saint.   Mother Lupita co-founded the religious congregation of the Handmaids of Saint Margaret Mary and of the Poor in Jalisco, Mexico. Mother Laura Montoya founded the Missionaries of St. Mary Immaculate and St. Catherine of Siena to help local indigenous people. The rest of the large group are the 813 martyrs of Otranto (Italy), killed by the Turks in the Fifteenth Century for not renouncing their faith. The ceremony will likely take place in October. Once it happens, Benedict XVI will have canonized more saints that his predecessor John Paul II, who elevated “only” 482 people to sainthood.