Scottish Catholic Observer

Sr Isabel Sola Matas, (above) a 51-year-old member of the Congregation of the Religious of Jesus and Mary, who was from Barcelona who had been living in Haiti for a number of years, died after being shot in the chest twice by two attackers who stole her purse, while driving down an avenue full of pedestrians and vehicles in Bel Air in her SUV.

A Haitian woman who was a passenger in the car was also shot twice, her condition is not yet known.

Fr Hans Alexandre at Sacred Heart Church said she was a ‘tireless servant of God’ who worked as a nurse, built homes, raised tens of thousands of dollars for a vocational school on the church compound, fed those who were hungry and also created a workshop that made prosthetics for those injured in the 2010 Haitian earthquake.

She also housed five priests, including Fr Alexandre, at her home for more than a year after the earthquake destroyed their church and home.

“The loss is immense. In killing her they didn’t kill just one person, they killed the hopes of many people,” he said.

“She was the person who took care of people like me, helping with food and other things,” said a man outside her home’s metal gate wearing tattered clothes. “I am very sad today.”

At the conclusion of the Mass in which he canonized Mother Teresa of Calcutta on Sunday, Pope Francis remembered Sr Isabel.

The Pope spoke of the many volunteers present, who are in Rome to celebrate the Jubilee for Volunteers and Workers of Mercy and remembered especially those who offer their service in ‘difficult and risky’ situations like Sr Isabel.