Born into a poor family in Poland in 1881, Angela Salawa had 10 older siblings and devout parents. Angela only had two years of formal education, and by the age of 12, she was working as a maid. She lost touch with her faith and lived a carefree and worldly life, until one day when she was dancing at a wedding reception she felt Jesus ask her why she loved dancing more than him. She immediately went to the closest church, prayed, and amended her life. She joined the St. Zita Association, began attending daily Mass, and became a third order Franciscan at 29. She worked as a nurse in World War I and helped injured soldiers by using her own money to buy them better food. She lost her job and got gravely ill, then spent the last five years of her life penniless and alone in prayer in a basement room.
CHALLENGE
Blessed Angela Salawa wrote in her diary, “Lord, I live by your will”. She wasn’t a missionary, a martyr, nor a theologian but her simple and humble life of faithful service to God and fellow man shows us the path to sainthood. Today, meditate on this question: are you living by God’s will, or your own?
Want to learn more about the Order of Mercy, also known as the Mercedarians? Mercy, Ransom, Redemption is a compilation of short stories about Mercedarian saints, blesseds, brothers, priests, and third order members of the Order.
