Jovita García Peláez

BIOGRAPHY

Jovita García Peláez was born in Francos, Asturias, Spain, on 4 September 1904. She entered the Congregation in Madrid on 9 October 1928.

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, she was assigned to France, where she endured extreme cold and hunger. Later, she was sent to England, where she experienced World War II firsthand. There, she led a community of 12 sisters who provided aid to young female refugees from Eastern Europe, most of whom were Jewish. After the war, while some sisters were transferred to Buenos Aires, she spent time in Mexico before ultimately being sent to India with three other sisters.

By 1951, the Sisters’ home in India was overflowing with orphaned, impoverished, and abandoned girls. Eventually, she was transferred to New York, where she worked with undocumented young women from South America and Spain who had no resources to survive. After 14 years in New York, she moved to San Antonio.

Jovita García Peláez passed away on 18 October 2014, at the age of 110 years, 44 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “H. María del Corazón Eucarístico García Peláez” – Simientes de nuestra historia, 3 September 2014

* “Fallece religiosa de 110 años que salvó judías de los nazis y a inmigrantes en Estados Unidos” – ACI Prensa, 2 November 2014

GALLERY

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