Bl. Maria Romero Meneses
Bl. Maria Romero Meneses was born into a wealthy Nicaraguan family in 1902. As a young girl, her parents found that she was a skilled artist and musician, so she went to a school run by the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco to receive further training. But, in 1914, she suffered a long, serious case of rheumatic fever. After a miraculous recovery, Maria realized her vocational call to join the Salesian Sisters. Once a member, she traveled to Costa Rica, where she became a highly regarded catechist and minister to the poor. She focused her work both on helping the physical needs of people in Costa Rica, and inspiring the wealthy to see how they could help the poor. Maria helped build schools, clinics, houses, as well as food distribution and recreational centers. She died in 1977 and is remembered as a key figure in social support in Costa Rica.