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It all began when in the midst of the XVI century three simple women of
Berriz (a little town in the green mountains of Vizcaya, Spain) founded the
Beaterio of the Vera -Cruz (Convent), linked to the Mercedarian Order whose goal
is: LIBERATION
In this way Berriz emerged. But this story did not end there.
The difficulties, the extreme poverty they endured, the lack of personnel to the
extreme when for a few years they were reduced to only two nuns... nothing was
powerful enough to extinguish God's nourish ing life. As Mercedarians they were
committed to "follow Jesus loving my brothers and sisters to the point of giving
my life" (4th Mercedarian vow).
Things were like this until in 1873 the number of nuns grew and they were
able to open a school with only eight students. There was not a moment when
these women would lose the attitudes that characterized them.
The number of students increased gradually and so did vocations...
On January 10, 1901 a new student joined the school, Marqarita Lopez de
Maturana. This was an unimportant event and a rather daily routine in the
convent school of the Mercedarians of Berriz. However, with the passing of
time, it will be a date the Mercedarians from the five continents thank God for
because Margarita sowed the missionary seed in Berriz.
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