PEREZ FLORIDO, ANNA. — In religion, Piera di S. Giuseppe, foundress of the Mothers of the Abandoned, b. at Valle de Abdelajis (diocese of Málaga) on 6 Dec. 1845, d. at Barcelona on 16 Aug. 1906.
She refused marriage so as to dedicate herself entirely to the care of the poor and lonely, abandoned by all; and after vainly attempting to enter congregations that also cared for these unfortunate people, she founded, at the bishop’s advice, on 25 Dec. 1880, a new congregation, which the bishop himself named the Mothers of the Abandoned. The first vows were taken in 1881; the decree of praise on 25 July 1892. Meanwhile many houses were able to be founded in Spain, where countless destitute people found bread and comfort. Extraordinary was the foundress’s devotion to St Joseph, in whose honour she dedicated all the new houses and in whose name a sanctuary grew up beside the Barcelona foundation, becoming famous: S. José de la Montaña. Here the foundress died not long after.
The cause of beatification was introduced on 3 Dec. 1944.