In
A Christian Family
Mercedes Prat y Prat was born on March 6th, 1880 in
Barcelona (Spain). Her parents Juan and Teresa, died while she was still a
child.
She made her first Holy Communion in a school of the Society of
Saint Teresa of Jesus on June 30th, 1890.
As an orphan and the eldest daughter, she combined successfully
her prayer life, her responsibilities in the home, her artistic talent and
her apostolate as a catechist and a member of the Teresian
Arch-confraternity. In 1904, she entered the Society of St. Teresa of
Jesus.
"A True Teresian"
This is how she was described by one of the Sisters with whom she
lived. She was a religious "according to the heart of God":
prudent and truthful, calm and gentle in her reactions, having a natural
goodness in all her dealings with others, but firm in character. God was
her one love, and her love for God kept growing to the point where she
would give her life for Him.
Mercedes was living in an attitude of submission
to the will of God at the outbreak of the Spanish civil war. It was in the month of July, 1936 that she was given the
opportunity to witness to the depth of her love of God and self-surrender.
When asked by the militia to identify herself, she replied that she was a
Religious and a teacher. "Do you realize that you can be shot for that?"
Mercedes and the sister who was with her were well aware of it. "They are
going to kill us," she had said, when leaving the Mother House. "But let
us go, I must obey, because it is the will of God."
"An Angel of Sorrow"
Hours of anguish followed, with questioning, threats and pretense
of shooting. The 23rd of July was a long day for Mercedes and
her companion. Finally, at dawn on July 24th, on the road to Rabasada,
the firing-squad found her with a prayer on her lips. A few shots rang
out. Mortally wounded, she repeated between cries of pain: "Jesus,
Joseph, Mary."
Her last words were those of the Our Father: "Forgive us...as
we forgive..." To the Sister who closed her eyes she seemed
"an
angel of sorrow."
1880 --
March 6, birth, baptized
the following day
1890
-- June 30, First Communion
1895 -- May 16, death of her father
1896 -- May 16, death of her mother
1904 -- August 27, enters the Society of
St. Teresa of Jesus
1905 -- March 1, receives the habit
1907 -- March 10, profession of
temporary vows
1920 -- Transferred to the Mother House
(Ganduxer, Barcelona)
1936 -- July 24, surrenders her life to
God
1990 -- April 29, beatified
Convicted by Faith:
The Life and Martyrdom of Mercedes Prat, STJ
is now available.
