Bl. Maria Romero Meneses
Bl. Maria Romero Meneses was born into a upper class Nicaraguan family in 1902. She was a very talented young girl and first became exposed to the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco while attending their school. After a serious case of rheumatic fever in 1914, she recovered miraculously and, with the help of her spiritual director Emilio Bottari, Maria realized her vocational call to join the Salesian Sisters. Once a member of the Order, she traveled to Costa Rica, where she was a charitable teacher. In San Jose, she set up a school for poor girls, a clinic, several houses, as well as recreational and food distribution centers. Maria died of a heart attack in 1977. "Even though difficult moments will come and you will feel torn to pieces, be faithful and strong in your vocation" - Father Emilio Bottari's prophetic recommendation to Bl. Maria