MARÍA RAFOLSMARÍA RAFOLS

FACESFACES

A DAUGHTER IN A A DAUGHTER IN A LARGE FAMILYLARGE FAMILY

She was the 6She was the 6thth among 9 among 9 brothers and sisters:brothers and sisters:

Was born in a christian homeWas born in a christian home Grew in an atmosphere of simplicity, Grew in an atmosphere of simplicity,

hard work, austerity… hard work, austerity… Learned to share Learned to share Had to change her address many Had to change her address many

timestimes Lost her father and 5 brothers and Lost her father and 5 brothers and

sisters being just a girlsisters being just a girl

VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER

IN A HOSPITAL OF IN A HOSPITAL OF BARCELONA (Spain)BARCELONA (Spain)

Full of dreams and very Full of dreams and very CommittedCommitted

She is a member of a She is a member of a “group of handcrafters “group of handcrafters and spinster women who and spinster women who help in the Holy Cross help in the Holy Cross Hospital on feasts”Hospital on feasts”

There she meets Fr. Jonh There she meets Fr. Jonh Bonal: They share Bonal: They share dreams and projectsdreams and projects

SISTER IN CHARGE OFSISTER IN CHARGE OF A SISTERHOOD A SISTERHOOD

SISTER IN CHARGESISTER IN CHARGE

With moral authorityWith moral authority Working as a Working as a

member of a teammember of a team Good at organizingGood at organizing Close and helpful to Close and helpful to

her collegues’ needher collegues’ need

With moral authorityWith moral authority

Being 23 years old she is the Sister in Being 23 years old she is the Sister in charge, although there are some older sisters charge, although there are some older sisters

Firm and Kind, very easy to reach for Firm and Kind, very easy to reach for everyone everyone

For her, authority means just service, and For her, authority means just service, and she is not trying to remain in her she is not trying to remain in her responsibility: she gives up whenever she responsibility: she gives up whenever she thinks that is the best thing for the thinks that is the best thing for the SisterhoodSisterhood

Working as a member of a Working as a member of a teamteam

She had monthly meetings with her She had monthly meetings with her Sisters in order to improve the care of the Sisters in order to improve the care of the sicksick

Good at organizingGood at organizing

In less than a year the Hospital was In less than a year the Hospital was completely different than it used to be:completely different than it used to be:– Clean and tidy, Clean and tidy, – Everything is well profited, they save money Everything is well profited, they save money – Responsibility in work Responsibility in work – Best and kind attention to the sick Best and kind attention to the sick

““With these women it is very easy to With these women it is very easy to manage in a Hospital, and without them manage in a Hospital, and without them it`s very difficult”it`s very difficult” (Conde de Sástago) (Conde de Sástago)

Close and helpful to her Close and helpful to her collegues’ needscollegues’ needs

Several times she asked for the Several times she asked for the breastfeeding women more food breastfeeding women more food and a higher salaryand a higher salary

She knows how to become friend She knows how to become friend of those who where against her in of those who where against her in the beginningthe beginning

ANAN EXCELLENT EXCELLENT PROFESSIONALPROFESSIONAL

She gives “Nurse She gives “Nurse Cares”Cares”

She tries to satisfy She tries to satisfy all the basic needs all the basic needs of the person, of the person, giving a complete giving a complete attention (bedcare, attention (bedcare, sleep, food...)sleep, food...)

She goes furtherShe goes further

She organises and She organises and supervises home supervises home attention: attention: children were children were

cared cared

in familiesin families

Updates her formation:Updates her formation:She passes in Blebhetomy She passes in Blebhetomy

ExamExam(1806, acta 130 de la Sitiada)(1806, acta 130 de la Sitiada)

- In order to give a better - In order to give a better serviceservice

- She pratices the new techniques “in an admirable way”

She would also attend the She would also attend the spiritual needs of the spiritual needs of the

personperson

She is really involved She is really involved in pastoral attentionin pastoral attention

Encourages showing Encourages showing respect at the same respect at the same time, without forcing time, without forcing anyoneanyone

She can see JC in She can see JC in every sick personevery sick person

COMING BEFORE COMING BEFORE THE RED CROSSTHE RED CROSS

Martínez Vargas in the Oficial Anuary of Martínez Vargas in the Oficial Anuary of the Spanish Red Cross (1945)the Spanish Red Cross (1945)

Domenech Martí, J. in 1st National Domenech Martí, J. in 1st National Congress of the Spanish Red Cross: “The Congress of the Spanish Red Cross: “The very beggining of the Red Cross is very beggining of the Red Cross is Spanish”Spanish”

She cares for the wounded She cares for the wounded ones both French and ones both French and

SpanishSpanish

She risks her life for She risks her life for everyoneeveryone

She gets food, forgiveness for those sentenced to death…

PIONEER IN TECHNICAL PIONEER IN TECHNICAL FORMATIONFORMATION

Const. 1805: “We should teach the Const. 1805: “We should teach the abandoned children so that they abandoned children so that they

would become shoemakers, would become shoemakers, tailors, etc…”tailors, etc…”

QUIET AND CALM IN ALL QUIET AND CALM IN ALL DIFFICULTIESDIFFICULTIES

A human womanA human woman

On April 14th (1813) she ask for On April 14th (1813) she ask for permission to go back home:permission to go back home:– She dosen’t complain She dosen’t complain – She feels “week, strengthless, not She feels “week, strengthless, not

feeling like doing anything, prolonged feeling like doing anything, prolonged loss of appetite and almost totaly lost”loss of appetite and almost totaly lost”

– and finnaly asking not to consider her and finnaly asking not to consider her letter.letter.

Put into Jail and Put into Jail and UnjustlyUnjustly

CondemnedCondemned

She faces bravely She faces bravely which she could not which she could not understandunderstand

Transforms the Transforms the difficulties into difficulties into OpportunitiesOpportunities

Foregoing the sameForegoing the same Forgives and ForgetsForgives and Forgets

HOPE TILL HOPE TILL THE ENDTHE END

She died on 30th August She died on 30th August 18531853

Worked till the endWorked till the end Died without knowing the Died without knowing the

expansion of the Sisterhoodexpansion of the Sisterhood

ONE JUST LIKE YOU ALLONE JUST LIKE YOU ALL