Elena Guerra

Elena Guerra, OSS (23 June 1835 – 11 April 1914) was an Italian Catholic religious sister who founded the Oblates of the Holy Spirit. Guerra was a strong proponent of the Holy Spirit as a motivation to do pious works. She dedicated her life particularly to the education of Chinese and African girls.

Life Elena Guerra was born into a wealthy, aristocratic family in Lucca on 23 June 1835 as one of six children to Antonio Guerra and Faustina Franceschi. In her childhood she was known to be talented but timid in nature. Guerra made her Confirmation on 5 June 1843.

Guerra first worked with the Vincentians, caring for the poor and the sick. Cholera struck Lucca in 1853 and she tended to the ill after her parents granted her permission to do so. He followed this in 1902, with a letter to the bishops, Ad fovendum in Christiano populo.

Leo XIII granted Guerra a private audience on 18 October 1897 in which he encouraged her work and renamed her association. It was at some stage that she corresponded with Arnold Janssen regarding a "militia of the Holy Spirit" that would be dedicated to working against the Freemasons. The beatification process commenced in Lucca on 5 May 1936, and Guerra was granted the title of Servant of God. 5000 of her own congregation attended the beatification celebration.

The current postulator overseeing the cause is the Cistercian Ugo Gianluigi Tagni.

Canonization Reliquary of Saint Elena Guerra in the church of Sant'Agostino in Lucca.

On April 13, 2024, Pope Francis met in audience with the cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and recognized the miracle necessary for Guerra's canonization. In 2010, Paulo was miraculously healed in Uberlândia after he fell into a coma due to brain injury. He was suffering from pneumonia and hepatitis and the doctors announced his brain death after he underwent a failed craniotomy and decompression.

Guerra was canonised by Pope Francis on October 20, 2024, among the 14 blesseds.