Laura Montoya was only a two-year-old girl when her father was murdered in a fratricidal war for the defense of religion and homeland. This painful event marked her life and drove her to dedicate herself to the service of the indigenous people of America. She became a heroic figure seeking resources, fostering missionary fervor among her disciples, and transmitting her apostolic passion to five companions. This great woman, born in 1874 in Jericó, Antioquia, stood out as a mission teacher in Latin America, deeply rooted in her Christian faith.
Mother Laura Montoya focused her work on love and obedience to the Church. Her "pedagogy of love" led her to delve into the culture and heart of the indigenous and Afro-descendant people of America, offering teaching adapted to their realities. In 1914, she founded a religious community, the Missionaries of Mary Immaculate and Saint Catherine of Siena, challenging conventional structures to carry out her missionary ideal.
Her passion for education led her to work as a teacher in various locations in Antioquia and later in Medellín. Her commitment to the Eucharist and Christian values was evident in every aspect of her life. Her tireless missionary work prompted her to write works such as the Directory of Perfection and "Mystical Voices" to guide her sisters in apostolic and contemplative life.
Despite adversities, Mother Laura Montoya maintained her strong missionary vocation and her love for the most disadvantaged. She founded the Missionaries of Mary, a congregation that expanded its work across 19 countries in America, Africa, and Europe. Her beatification process began in 1963 and culminated in 2004 when she was proclaimed blessed by Pope John Paul II and later canonized in 2013 by Pope Francis. Her legacy endures in the work of the Missionaries and in the inspiration she provides to society and the Church.
