Father Joaquin Masmitjá
Venerable Joaquin Masmitjá
On January 23, 2020 the Holy Father, Pope Francis, authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree of heroic virtues of Joaquin Masmitjá, Canon of the Cathedral of Gerona, Spain and founder of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With this promulgation, Father Masmitjà was declared “venerable” and moved one step closer to canonization.
Fr. Joaquin Masmitjá was born in Olot, Spain, on December 29, 1808, the fourth child of Francisco and Maria Gracia. He was quiet and unassuming, wishing to get along with others but not afraid of showing piety; in addition, he was extremely intelligent. Joaquin, from an early age, desired to be a priest. His desire was fulfilled when he was ordained a priest on February 22, 1834. He also had degrees in both canon and civil law. As a parish priest in mid-nineteenth century Spain, Father Masmitjá frequently encountered among his parishioners the reality of poor formation in the Faith. Catholic culture had disappeared; secularism was gaining ground and morality was eroding. His concerns so closely resemble the needs of our own time; in fact, his priestly heart’s overriding concern was for the salvation of souls and how seemingly impossible it was to pursue holiness amidst the secularism of his day. He established the 40 Hours devotion in his parishes, trained catechists, and hosted missions for his parishioners, most notably given by St. Anthony Mary Claret, his good friend. But this, he found, was not enough.
In 1848, Venerable Joaquin Masmitjá founded the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to teach and form the young in the truths of our Catholic Faith and to pray for the conversion of sinners. In today’s world, with society promoting vice as virtue, praying for the conversion of sinners is not as well-known as in previous decades. And yet, a true love for souls is the motivation to pray and work for their salvation. The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 172 years after their foundation, continue, in union with Our Lady, to pray and teach, to sacrifice and work, for the salvation of souls.
Father Masmitjá believed in and promoted the powerful intercession of the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary. He also wanted with all of his might to protect that Heart from the cruel sword that pierces it when sinners renew the passion and death of her Son by refusing His mercy and forgiveness. The declaration of his heroic virtue is a good reminder to renew the commitment to pray for hardened sinners that they may know the forgiveness of God and the tender love of their Heavenly Mother.
Fr. Masmitjá continued to guide his spiritual daughters despite his many duties. On Thursday, August 26, 1886, Fr. Masmijtá died as the result of a serious fall. Fr. Masmitjá continually accepted God’s plan as it unfolded in his life; he truly imitated Mary’s fiat. He had a true love for all people, desiring sinners to be brought back to God. People were attracted to holiness by the witness of Fr. Masmitjá.
It was said of Fr. Masmitjá: “[He] is not an ordinary man, but one of those whose sanctity is transparent and noticeable even when they try to hide it.” He desired to live his life for God and for others; he was a priest dedicated to His Lord. He deserved the high praise of one: “His priestly life was perfect.”
Mother Joanne
Mother Joanne was the second and last child and only daughter of her parents. Her father was a man deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin and had prayed for a daughter. While he waited for the birth of his second child, he offered her to the Mother of God and promised her that this child would be hers in every way, even for religious life, if that be God’s will. She attended Immaculate Heart High School as a boarder, and there she recognized her vocation to religious life, fostering it by daily Mass, frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament and the daily rosary, praying that Jesus would want her for His Spouse. After graduation from high school in 1930 she entered the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Los Angeles. After her novitiate she earned her BA and MA from the Immaculate Heart College. She also studied at UCLA and USC. She taught for many years and served as principal and as local superior in many parish convents.
She was also somewhat of a financial wizard. After being elected as the General Treasurer of the Institute she initiated and developed a unified system of accounting for all the entities of the Institute which included the General Administration, Immaculate Heart College, Immaculate Heart High School, Immaculate Heart Novitiate, Immaculate Heart Retreat House, Queen of the Valley Hospital, Saint Mary Desert Valley Hospital and Immaculate Heart Hospital. She also served the community as the novice mistress.
After coming to Wichita she concentrated her efforts on the formation of the young Sisters. As this solidified, she extended her help and expertise to the laity by directing Days of Prayer. She served as the General Superior from her arrival in Wichita until her death. She was kind, gentle but firm, sympathetic, and very, very prayerful. She was filled with the Scriptures and the documents of the Church; she was filled so as to be formed by them. Her leadership skills, her study of the Church’s teaching on Religious Life and her grasp of spiritual theology prepared her to make this establishment, write our Constitutions and form us in the life of prayer and virtue, in the spirit and works of IHM, and in a profound love for the Church.