María Pilar López de Maturana Ortiz de Zárate
Blessed María Pilar López de Maturana Ortiz de Zárate (25 July 1884 – 23 July 1934), also known by her religious name Margarita María, was a Spanish Roman Catholic professed religious and the founder of the Mercedarian Missionaries of Bérriz. The religious made several international trips in order to serve in the missions as her order often dabbled in and undertook these trips despite a serious ulcer that transcended into stomach cancer but nevertheless she continued to promote the charism of the missions.
The beatification cause commenced on 25 October 1961 under Pope John XXIII in which she was titled as a Servant of God while Pope John Paul II later named her as Venerable on 16 March 1987. Pope Benedict XVI approved her beatification and it was celebrated on 22 October 2006 in which Cardinal José Saraiva Martins presided on the pope's behalf. Her twin sister Leonor was named as Venerable on the path to sainthood.
Patron saint of Mercedarian Missionaries of Bérriz; Missionaries; Stomach cancer; Against stomach cancer
In the Martyrology
- July 23 Blessed Margarita María (Margarita María López de Maturana), religious