Laura of Saint Catherine of Siena Montoya

Life & Legacy

Laura Montoya, in full María Laura de Jesús Montoya Upegui (26 May 1874 – 21 October 1949), religious name Laura of Saint Catherine of Siena, was a Colombian Roman Catholic religious sister and the founder of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and Saint Catherine of Siena (1914). She was well known for her work with Indigenous peoples and for acting as a strong role model for South American girls.
Pope John Paul II beatified her in 2004 and Pope Francis canonized her as a saint on 12 May 2013. Montoya is the first Colombian to be made a saint.