Spanish philanthropist
Dorotea de Chopitea
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Born
| Antonia Dorotea de Chopitea de Villota
(
1816-06-04
)
4 June 1816
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Died
| 3 April 1891
(1891-04-03)
(aged 74)
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Resting place
| The Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, Barcelona
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Nationality
| Chile, Spain
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Occupation(s)
| philanthropist, social worker
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Known for
| founder of numerous social establishments in Barcelona
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Antonia Dorotea de Chopitea de Villota
(4 June 1816,
Santiago
, Chile ? 3 April 1891,
Barcelona
, Spain) was a Chile-born philanthropist and social worker based in Barcelona. She is considered the principal patroness and the most important social work promoter in Barcelona in the 19th century.
[1]
She was declared
Venerable
by
Pope John Paul I
on 9 June 1983.
[2]
Life
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]
Antonia Dorotea de Chopitea de Villota was born on 4 June 1816 in Santiago, Chile, to Pedro Nicolas de Chopitea and Isabel de Villota.
[3]
Her father was a royalist and after the proclamation of
Independence of Chile
his assets were confiscated. In 1819, the family was forced in to move to Spain and settled in Barcelona.
[2]
In 1831, they briefly returned to Chile hoping to recover lost possessions and obtain compensation for their confiscated assets, however it was unsuccessful, and the family returned to Barcelona the same year.
[3]
At the age of 16, Chopitea married 22-year-old Josep Maria Serra Munoz on 31 October 1832.
[4]
The marriage was against the will of Chopitea's parents.
[5]
Her husband later was among the founders of the Bank of Barcelona and the Maquinista Terrestre y Maritima,
[1]
as well as a consul to the Chilean government in Barcelona.
[2]
Between 1834 and 1845 Chopitea became a mother of six daughters.
[4]
They were named Dorotea, Ana Maria, Isabel, Maria Luisa, Carmen and Jesuina.
[6]
One of the daughters died when she was 16.
[1]
In 1873, The Serra-Chopitea family settled in the Ensanche, in a palace-house on the Gran Via (currently occupied by the Hotel Gran Via).
[2]
Dorotea de Chopitea died on 3 April 1891 in Barcelona at the age of 74.
[6]
In 1928, her remains were transferred from the cemetery of the
Poblenou
neighborhood to The Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Sarria, founded by her.
[2]
Philanthropy and social work
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In 1835, after the
protests and the burning of convents
, Chopitea was determined to support the marginalized social strata and spend money for education of the working class youth.
[1]
She had a vision that the key to solving the conflict was in improving the living conditions of the poor and marginalized.
[5]
Chopitea created an extensive network of support for the most disadvantaged by the industrial revolution.
[7]
She founded hospitals, residences, schools and asylum rooms, where working mothers could leave their children, and workshops to teach craft to young people.
[8]
It is estimated that in total around 30 foundations were the result of Chopitea's and her husband's charity.
[6]
Only on Catalan lands four churches, fifteen schools, four hospitals and seven residences were founded by Chopitea. Additionally, she along with Presbitero Blas Canas and the philanthropist Manuel Arriaran, made possible the foundation of the
Salesian schools
"Patrocinio de San Jose" and "Maria Auxiliadora" in Santiago and the so-called "Salesian Educational Center" in Talca, Chile.
[3]
Chopitea was the patroness of the order
The Religious of the Sacred Heart
, often called, the Madames of the Sacred Heart, that founded an advanced academy with social prestige for daughters of the elite to teach behavior and expectations appropriate to the upper class. The order has served the daughters of wealthy Catholic families in Europe, Latin America and the United States.
[9]
After the death of her husband in 1882, Chopitea donated a half of what she had inherited from him to the poor.
[1]
The same year she met
John Bosco
, the founder of Salesian order, and became its benefactor financing the
temple of Tibidado
dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
[5]
Commemoration and beatification process
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Following the death of Chopitea three her biographies appeared: in 1892 by the Jesuit Jaume Nonell, in 1926 by Jesuit Jacint Alegre, and in 1962 by the Salesian Amadeo Burdeus.
[2]
Numerous religious orders agreed that she had died as a saint.
[7]
In 1927, the Salesian congregation started the process of
beatification
of Chopitea.
[5]
Her spiritual writings were approved by theologians on 4 May 1952.
[10]
Pope John Paul I declared her Venerable on 9 June 1983.
[2]
On the occasion of bicentenary of Chopitea's birth a documentary
Dorothy de Chopitea, a lady of Barcelona
was shot.
[1]
The objective of the film is to advocate her legacy and reveal her personality to spread information about her contributions.
[5]
List of foundations
[
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]
[2]
Temples (5)
[
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]
- Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon
- Iglesia de San Jose
- Santuario y Parroquia de Maria Auxiliadora
- Basilica y Parroquia del Sagrado Corazon
- Parroquia de San Eugenio I Papa
Schools (15)
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]
- Sagrado Corazon-Sarria
- Sagrado Corazon-Aldana
- Sagrada Familia
- Jesuitas de Caspe
- Salesianos de Sarria
- Salesianas de Sarria
- Salesianos de Rocafort
- La Salle Barceloneta
- San Juan Bautista Barceloneta
- Jesuitas de Sarria
- Asuncion
- Sagrado Corazon-Diputacion
- La Salle Gracia
- San Vicente de Paul
- La Salle Les Corts. Avda. Sarria 8
- La Salle Poble Sec. Blay 42
Hospitals (4)
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]
- Hospital de San Juan de Dios (Hermanos de San Juan de Dios)
- Hospital San Rafael (Hospitalarias del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus
- Hospital del Sagrado Corazon (Hospitalarias del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus)
- Hospital de Ninos de Barcelona
Residences (7)
[
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]
- Asilo de San Juan Bautista
- Asilo de San Rafael
- Residencia de Maria Reparadora (Reparadoras)
- Residencia y Centro Social de Maria Inmaculada (Religiosas de Maria Inmaculada)
- Asilo de la calle de la Luna
- Asilo del Buen Consejo (Dominicas de la Presentacion)
- Asilo de ancianos (Hermanitas de los Pobres)
References
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]