By this they will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” How aptly these words of today’s Gospel reflect the attitude of s. Gabriela de Hinojosa and her six companions from the Congregation of the Visitation Sisters, who were martyred in Madrid in 1936! Obedience and fraternal communion are fundamental elements of consecrated life. This was understood by the sisters who, in a spirit of obedience, remained in Madrid despite the persecutions in order to follow the fate of their convent closely. Seeking strength in silence, prayer and renunciation, they prepared to offer a generous burnt offering to God. As we venerate them today as martyrs of Christ, they lead us with the light of their example, intercede for us and await us in glory. May their life and death be a model for the Visitation Sisters in the convents throughout the world, and may it attract to them the many vocations that will incarnate in life the gentle and sweet spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal. (John Paul II, Homily at the Beatification Mass, Rome, 10.05.1998)
November 18
