杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

Maria Concepcion Cabrera de Armida knew to choose God with an absolute love, and put Him at the centre of her life, while caring for her family and her home. How was the new Blessed able to do all that was required of her? Cardinal Angelo Becciu said she succeeded because 鈥渟he did not follow her own inspirations, however holy, but conformed to God鈥檚 plan for her鈥�.

Faith and imagination

Cardinal Becciu said in the homily for her beatification that Cabrera鈥檚 secret was 鈥渢o live 鈥榠n鈥� this world and not 鈥榦f鈥� this world鈥�. Blessed Conchita (as she is familiarly known by her devotees) lived a life of 鈥減rofound faith and boundless charity鈥�; but also with a characteristic we might not immediately associate with sanctity: namely, imagination. 鈥淗er tireless zeal, together with her fervent creative imagination would bring her to raise up new families of consecrated life within the Church鈥�, the Cardinal said.

A leader with the sweet face of a mother

It is difficult to imagine silence in a house full of children, but it was precisely this, along with devout prayer in adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament, that was her nourishment, 鈥渉er spiritual strength鈥�. Such a great mother could not help but become the mother of all; Cardinal Becciu recalled her concern for the poor, her care for the material and spiritual needs of the sick and dying, and her constant commitment to assisting the poor and needy. Her heart was open to all those she encountered.

From here, the Cardinal said, it was an easy step for Blessed Conchita to dedicate her life to supporting those who 鈥渓ive their vocation every day in fidelity and self-denial鈥�. And so, Conchita became not only a mother but also an example for priests of all times. In her own day, she became a leader in society and in the Church, 鈥渁 magnificent synthesis鈥�, as Cardinal Becciu described her, 鈥渙f contemplation and action鈥�. In her, he said, 鈥渢he evangelical figures of Martha and Mary are fused and synchronized鈥�.

The 鈥渟cience of the Cross鈥�

But all this was possible only by accepting and offering up her own suffering, Cardinal Becciu said. He concluded his homily by speaking about how Blessed Conchita was able to understand 鈥渢he science of the Cross鈥�. As an echo of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Sorrows, she 鈥渨as aware that ever sorrow, great or small, had already been experienced by Jesus on the Cross; and in Him she was able to find strength and meaning鈥�.