Description

Oil Dedicated to Sister Elisa Martinez

Sister Elisa Martinez from A Blessed Call To Love, Ireland.

Elisa Martinez is a Catholic nun and social justice advocate who was born in Texas in 1954. She grew up in a large family in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, where she was deeply influenced by the poverty and inequality she saw around her.

Martinez joined the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in 1978, and has dedicated her life to serving marginalized communities both in the United States and abroad. She has worked as a teacher, a hospital chaplain, and a community organizer, and has been a vocal advocate for immigrants, refugees, and other vulnerable populations.

In the early 2000s, Martinez co-founded the Proyecto Juan Diego, a nonprofit organization that provides legal and social services to undocumented immigrants and their families in the Houston area. She has also involved in efforts to address human trafficking and support victims of domestic violence.

Martinez’s work has widely recognized both within and outside the Catholic Church. She has received numerous awards for her activism. Including the Texan of the Year award from the Dallas Morning News in 2018. And the Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace award in 2020. In 2019, she appointed to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Where she advises the Pope and other church leaders on issues related to social justice and human rights.

Throughout her career, Martinez has remained committed to her faith and to the belief. That all people deserve to treated with dignity and respect. She has been a powerful voice for the voiceless.  A tireless advocate for those who are most in need of support and solidarity.