Today, September 24, is the memorial of Blessed Encarnación Gil Valls.
Third Order Carmelite and martyr.
Apart from being a diligent tutor and teacher, Encarnación was a woman of prayer. She had a schedule for prayer; she had her devotions, her Ave Maria, and Holy Rosary. She attended daily mass and was often seen waking up early for her mediation. Sunday Mass was non-negotiable with her. She would remind her charges about attending Sunday Mass.
Time came to live with her brother and help him in parish duties in 1922. Together they established the Patronato de la Infancia (Foundation of Infancy) and taught catechism to children. She was seen as someone who practiced the virtues of simplicity, patience, humility, and charity towards everyone.
The Spanish Civil War broke out and the authorities began a witch-hunt for Christians. Her brother was jailed. She, however, was not afraid. Encarnación said that they had offered their lives to God for the salvation of Spain; all she asked was that she die with her brother.
On September 24, 1936, the militia came to her door telling her to accompany her imprisoned brother to Porta Coeli Hospital. She asked that a friend, Juan Recatalá Fuertes, also accompany them. They were taken instead to the marble quarry near the port of Ollería, where the brother and sister were summarily executed and buried in the cemetery of Canals.
Beatified in 2001 by Pope Saint John Paul II.