Sofia Garduño Nava was born in Mexico City on 16 April 1897, the fifth of six children, and was baptised on 30 April of the same year. Educated in Christian values, under her mother’s care she grew in faith and in the love of God and the Virgin Mary. With great devotion and love, she celebrated her First Communion on 19 February 1909.
On two occasions her health was seriously compromised, and in the midst of adolescence she lost sight in her left eye.
She completed all her studies, graduating as a primary school teacher. “While practising her profession in a government school, she felt a desire to reach the human person, not only in the intellectual aspect but also in the spiritual aspect”.
Moved by the Holy Spirit, sensitive to people’s needs and with a spirit of service, in 1918, amid adversity, she began providing religious formation to children through Catechesis in the parish of Concepción Tepiquehuca in Mexico City, bringing them closer to the Heart of Jesus because no one was caring for them. For this purpose, she invited several young women who supported her in this inspiration. New opportunities opened up and later, together with a group of seminarians, she opened a catechism centre in that parish.
That breath which gives divine life (cf. Gen 2:7), which “blows where it wills” (Jn 3:8) and makes all things new (cf. Rev 21:5), began to inspire in the hearts of Sofia and the girls with her the desire to belong entirely to God and to consecrate themselves to his service. Thus, little by little, through the events that emerged, a work took shape, culminating in the birth of a missionary religious Congregation.
On 7 October 1918, Sofia and the catechists received the medal of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary as a sign of their consecration to God, committing themselves to a life of prayer together with other religious practices and to continue transmitting the faith with dedication through evangelisation and catechesis. In time, she understood that this spirit had to be brought into every family, especially to women, who were considered the heart of the family.
On 7 February 1920, Violets (flowers) were given as a sign of consecration from God to his daughters; hence the name Violets given to the Congregation.
On 7 October 1928, in a context hostile to the Mexican Catholic Church, after a journey aimed at supporting and encouraging the parish and two catechetical centres (operating clandestinely), helping persecuted priests and facing great obstacles in obtaining permission from their families, the catechist sisters began their first catechetical mission in Santa Maria Ajoluapan (State of Mexico), outside parish settings. Mother Sofia wished to consecrate the mission to “Our Lady of Victories”.
From this event onwards, God gradually manifested his will through events, as Mother Sofia used to say. The Community became consolidated and grew in members, missions, formal structures and as an Institute of religious life recognised by the Church.
Now, after 104 years, the Institute of the Missionarie Catechiste dei Sacri Cuori di Gesù e di Maria, of Pontifical Right, continues its mission of proclaiming the love and mercy of God, especially to families, growing together with them in faith. The Congregation is present in Mexico, the United States, Spain and Equatorial Guinea.
The Mother House and Generalate are located in Mexico City at via Guadalupe Victoria #39. Colonia Tlalpan Centro C.P. 14000.
Charism
To follow Christ the Missionary Catechist, reproducing in ourselves the sentiments of his Sacred Heart in his filial relationship with the Father and his fraternity with everyone, in imitation of the Heart of Mary, promoting the sanctification of families.
Contacts
http://misionerascatequistas.org/contenido/contacto/index.html
