Beatification for Spanish woman
Pope Francis has approved the beatification of a young Spanish woman, María de la Concepción (Conchita) Barrecheguren García, the daughter of the Redemptorist Friar, Francisco Barrecheguren. Maria was born on November 27, 1905 in Granada to Francisco and Concha García Calvo, both from wealthy families.
An alleged miracle that took place in 2014 has been attributed to Maria through her intercession. A 16-month-old girl who had multi-organ damage caused by A streptococcus was miraculously healed.
From an early age, Conchita had poor health. When she was about one, she fell seriously ill with acute enterocolitis, and wasn’t expected to live. The little girl miraculously recovered, and her parents attributed the unexpected healing to the intercession of the Virgin of Lourdes.
Considering her poor health, her parents decided, at a doctors’ suggestion, not to let her attend school, and instead decided to educate her themselves. Her father was the primary educator and was assisted by two teachers. He gave her an ‘adequate’ catechetical preparation for the sacraments of confirmation and communion, which she received at midnight Mass on December 25 1912.
In addition to her studies and work around the home, she spent several hours praying each day, including the rosary, and teaching catechism to the domestic helpers.
From an early age, Conchita joined the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and felt a call to religious life. She wanted to become a Carmelite but, unfortunately, illness prevented this from happening. At the age of ten, she had a profound spiritual crisis due to scruples. However, with the intervention of her new confessor, the Redemptorist Fr Ruiz Abad, she got over the scruples.
In 1917, she was diagnosed with an intestinal inflammation that caused severe pain and forced her onto a strict diet.
Despite her continuing poor health, Conchita made several journeys and pilgrimages. In August 1926, after a pilgrimage to Lisieux, at the tomb of St Therese of the Child Jesus, she contracted tuberculosis. Conchita died on May 13 1927 at the age of just 22 years.
Buried in the family chapel at the Granada cemetery, her remains were moved in May 1978, to the oratory of the present Carmel de Conchita in Alhambra. And in 2007, they were again transferred this time to the Redemptorist Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Granada, where her father is buried.
Her father became a Redemptorist priest after his wife died.
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