Saint Angela of the Cross

Saint Angela of the Cross is known also as María de los Ángeles Guerrero González. She is mostly called Saint Angela of the Cross today. She lived in Spain during the 1800s. She is remembered for her love for the poor and the sick.

Angela wanted to serve others with her whole life. She believed that to love Jesus meant to love those who were suffering. She worked quietly and with great care.

She started a new religious community to help the poorest people. Her work made a big difference in her city and beyond.

Many people today still look up to her. They see in her a simple way to live the Gospel. Angela showed that even small acts of kindness can be holy.

Angela was born in Seville, Spain, on January 30, 1846. Her parents were poor and worked hard. Her father was a wool carder, and her mother stayed at home to care for the family. Angela was the second of fourteen children, but many of her brothers and sisters died young.

From an early age, Angela helped her family. She left school when she was young to work in a shoe shop. Even as a child, she cared deeply for the poor.

Angela spent her free time praying and visiting churches. She often gave food to beggars. She wanted to live a life close to Jesus and far from riches.

When she was about nineteen years old, she asked to join the Discalced Carmelites. She also tried to join the Daughters of Charity. Because of poor health, she could not stay in either group. This made her sad, but she did not give up her dream.

Angela realized that she could still live a holy life without joining an established order. She thought about living like Jesus, poor and simple, helping those around her.

In 1875, with the help of her spiritual director, she founded a new community. It was called the Sisters of the Company of the Cross. Their mission was to serve the sick and poor in their own homes.

Angela and her sisters lived very simply. They begged for food for themselves and for those they served. They trusted that God would provide what they needed.

They took no payment for their work. They gave everything freely. Angela taught her sisters to see Jesus in every person they cared for.

The Sisters of the Cross grew quickly. Many young women joined them, drawn by their simple and loving way of life. They opened new houses in other cities.

Angela’s sisters did not only work in hospitals. They often went straight to the homes of the poor. They washed the sick, cleaned homes, and cooked meals.

Angela believed that small acts done with great love mattered most. She taught her sisters to smile and to treat each person with respect.

Angela herself never wanted any praise. She called herself “the beggar of God” and often took the hardest tasks. She spent many hours in prayer.

The Sisters lived in poverty and depended on donations. Even so, they never stopped helping others. They trusted that they were doing God’s work.

Angela also gave advice to people who came to her for help. She was known for her wisdom, even though she had little formal education. Many people, rich and poor, sought her prayers.

Angela died on March 2, 1932, in Seville. She was 86 years old. Many people already saw her as a saint because of her simple life of love and service.

After her death, devotion to her grew. Her cause for sainthood was opened, and many miracles were reported through her prayers.

Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1982 and canonized her in 2003. The Church recognized her life as a clear example of holiness.

Her feast day is celebrated on March 2. She is the patron saint of the poor, sick, and those who work for them.

Today, the Sisters of the Company of the Cross continue their work. Angela’s life reminds people that holiness can be found in small acts of love and service.