Marija Petković

Marija Petković, also known as The Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified Petković;

After elementary school, Petković enrolled in 1904 in Blato's municipal school, which had been recently founded by the Servants of Charity, a Catholic order newly arrived from Italy. After successfully completing the three-year program, she continued her studies at the School of Domestic Science, also directed by the Servants of Charity.

In 1918, Petković made a formal promise to the Bishop to remain in Blato to help and live with the poor. Noticing that Bačka also had problems of numerous poor and abandoned children, in 1923, Petković acted quickly and opened Kolijevka Children's Home in Subotica, Home for sick and neglected children, after which she opened numerous centers for children in Croatia (in Slavonia particularly), Serbia, and Vardar Macedonia.

From 1920 to 1952, Petković was elected five times as the Superior General of the Daughters of Mercy. She traveled throughout Croatia, Latin America, and Italy, opening 46 communities. The growing number of Sisters served in various social ministries, such as in nursing homes, kindergartens, hospitals, nursery schools, parish work, and work in the seminaries.

On 28 February 1989, the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints began an investigation into the reports of the miracle. On 8 May 1998, Pope John Paul II confirmed the Congregation's initial report and decreed that Petković's heroic virtues be publicly declared, formally recognizing her as "Venerable."

The Congregation issued their ruling on Petković's heroic virtues on 5 July 2002, and on the following 20 December issued a ruling recognizing the miraculous nature of the submarine rescue. On 6 June 2003, Pope John Paul II celebrated her beatification Mass in Dubrovnik, formally recognizing her as "Blessed."

Today, her Congregation has its branches, besides other countries, in Italy, Romania (by Greek Catholic community), Paraguay, Chile, Peru and Argentina.

The Sanctuary of Blessed Marija Petković is in her town of birth, Blato on the Dalmatian island of Korčula.