Bio

 

 Rafaela was born in Pedro Abad, Andalusia, outside Cordoba in the countryside in 1850, in a time of political turmoil and social change, as the youngest of 10, 6 of whom survived aside from her. Her father, the mayor, died when she was 4 while tending to victims of the Cholera epidemic. Her mother was charitable and instilled Christian values in her children. She shared a bond with her sister Dolores, who was 4 years older, and the two did community service and attended Mass with their mother. At 14, Rafaela saw the sea for the first time and was struck with awe, seeing God in everything. She made secret vows at 15 to join religious life. The unexpected, sudden death of their mother 4 years later had a profound impact on the sisters. They were not only devastated, but misunderstood by other family members, since their brothers were preparing them for marriage and disapproved of them leaving home secretly to serve the sick and impoverished of their community, leading them to leave home in 1874 to discern their call at a convent. Rafaela and Dolores opened their own convent a year later, and were joined by many women following St. Ignatius’ rule. Raphaela was elected leader, and Dolores took the name Pilar. Eucharistic Adoration became the center of their lives. When the bishop decided to change his mind about the Sisters’ Rules, they decided to pick up and move to Madrid. They moved homes several times because of poor conditions and locations, and finally opened a school in 1879. In 1887, the Order received Papal Approval, and was officially called Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. From then until 1892, the Rule was written, and the Order expanded to other cities, opening convents in Zaragoza, Bilbao, and Rome. 

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In 1893, at age 42, Mother Rafaela stepped down from her position as Mother Superior, due to misunderstandings between the Sisters. Pilar and Rafaela had also been arguing because of how different their personalities and priorities were. It was a difficult decision, but Rafaela, to preserve the Order’s unity, went to Rome and designated Pilar as leader. Pilar soon began to encounter some of the same issues as her sister had, and the two began to reconnect through letters, supporting each other in their sufferings. 

 

Though Rafaela and Pilar were both known for being lively and joyful, the thousands of letters they wrote to each other during this time, and after Pilar decided to step down as well, showed much pain from abandonment, overwhelm, and blame, and rumors were soon spread that her mental capacity was no longer to be trusted, as a reason to explain why she’d been cast aside from the Order despite being known as such a holy woman. Her isolation, frustration, and separation from the work of her Order while in Rome for 32 years were undoubtedly crushing to Rafaela, and Pilar in her own isolation in Valladolid until her death in 1916. Rafaela passed away in 1925, and her funeral was attended by only 3 people, but she never lost hope even to the end. Despite this tragedy, the process for her beatification began quickly, and she was officially canonized in 1977. Her incorrupt body is on display in Rome, and Pope Francis visited in 2017, citing that her story had been one of inspiration to him during hard times.