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Marija Petković was born on December 10, 1892, in Blato on the Adriatic island of Korčula, in what today is Croatia. She was the sixth of eleven children born to Antun Petković-Kovač and Marija Marinović. The family was a wealthy Catholic one, and they made sure their children knew how important it was to share their blessings with those in need.
Marija had a solid education, first attending public elementary school, then attending a school run by the Servants of Charity, a new religious order of sisters from Italy. After three years in that school, she continued her education in the School of Domestic Science, also run by the Servants of Charity.
From an early age, Marija had a strong attraction to her Catholic faith and putting it into action. In 1906, for example, at the age of 14, Marija told Josip Marcelić, the Bishop of Dubrovnik that one day, she wanted to become a religious sister. The bishop took her wish seriously and watched over her spiritual development.
For the next 13 years, Marija became involved in various Catholic groups that were available to her. In 1906, for example, she joined the Daughters of Mary Association. On November 21 of that same year, she made a private vow of chastity because she wanted only Jesus to be her spouse.
From 1909 to 1919, Marija served as president of the Daughters of Mary Association, a group that had 300 members. She also was a member of the Good Shepherd Association, an organization of twenty women who visited the sick and prepared children for their First Holy Communion.
In addition to her participation in Catholic organizations, Marija got first-hand experience helping her mother run a household when her father died in 1911.
In 1915, Marija used her organizational skill set to found her own group, the Society of Catholic Mothers, and two years later, she led the Third Order Franciscans in her area. In 1918, she began helping in the Servants of Charity in their soup kitchen serve the poor.
On March 25, 1919, Marija and her friend Marija Telenta joined Servants of Charity order. Unfortunately, however, this lasted only two months, for the mother superior died, and the Italian sisters had to return to Italy for political reasons. The two other Croatian sisters decided to stay with Marija in Blato.
Even though their number was small, they accomplished much with Marija’s organizational skills and the group’s energy. In the winter of 1919, the Sisters opened a day-recovery center, a childcare facility, and an orphanage.
Finally, all of Marija’s work organizational experience was put into her biggest project, the founding of a new religious order of women called the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4, 1920. Marija became known as Marija of the Crucified Jesus and was recognized as the founder and Superior General of the order. In fact, Mother Marija was elected five times as Superior General.
Mother Marija worked tirelessly to grow the order in Croatia, Italy, and nations of Latin America. With her guidance, the Daughters of Mercy were found doing ministry in hospitals, nursing centers, nursery school, parishes, and seminaries.
Mother Marija died on July 9, 1956, in Rome, Italy. She was beatified on June 6, 2003. Blessed Marija’s feast day is July 9.
