My Saint of the month is St. Laura Montoya. Her feast day is on October 21. Her story is not well known, but is very special and I think that it can teach something to all of us!
Laura’s dad died when she was young, leaving her to move in with her grandmother. Although living with her grandmother was difficult because she felt unloved, she chose to grow from that experience and was inspired to help others who were going through similar circumstances. She taught them to know that God always has love for them. Since then, Laura felt a special connection with those who felt unloved.
She always prayed, especially for the indigenous children. During prayer, she learned that God was calling her to show His love to them. So Laura set out into the jungles and became a teacher and mother to the children. Even when others thought that the Natives weren’t important, Laura brought God’s love to them, and taught the children that He loved them.
After 25 years of living in the jungle in the culture of the Natives, she wrote many books and thought of and prayed for the people even though she was unable to be in person with them.
Laura’s story is inspiring because it teaches us to love. It teaches us not only to love, but to especially love the people who feel unloved, and when you’re ready, to follow God’s call.
Works Cited: Hunter-Kilmer, Meg, and Lindsey Sanders. Saints around the World. Emmaus Road Publishing, 2021.
By Gabri Ottaviani ‘30, Contributing Writer
