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Laura Vicuna was born just three months after a civil war had erupted in Chile in 1891, so her life was in danger soon after it began. Claudio Vicuna, a relative of her father, was a prominent figure in the war—which left him with many enemies.
The animosity toward him also threatened Laura and her family, and they moved to the Andean mountains for safety. In 1894 Laura’s father died, leaving his wife, Mercedes, alone with her two daughters.
Mercedes became the mistress of a man named Manuel Mora in exchange for his protection and financial support. Mora sent Laura and her sister to a boarding school, which was run by the Salesian Sisters. Laura loved her new school—particularly the chapel that housed the tabernacle—and spent much of her time in prayer. At the age of ten, she made her First Holy Communion, which was a deeply spiritual experience for her. In her notebook at the time, she wrote, “O my God, I want to love you and serve you all my life. I give you my soul, my heart, my whole self.” She asked…
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