History
Childhood Years
From the very beginning of Petra’s childhood, her life centered around Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. As a little girl, Petra was part of a church group called Saint Theresa the Little Flower. Petra remembered being cared for by the older girls in a nursery-like setting while her grandmother and mother volunteered their time and service at the church.
She also remembered seeing her grandmother make tamales to sell at church bazaars and festivities to raise money for the church. As a six-year-old, her task was to add wood to the fire to keep it burning as tamales were cooked. Beginning in 1915, church activities were influenced by the passion of a resident nun named Sister Benitia, who belonged to the Sisters of Divine Providence in San Antonio, Texas.
Sister Benitia was an advocate and caretaker for the parish’s poor Mexican immigrants and was also the school principal at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School. Sister Benitia was determined to provide a strong Christian education to all students and Mexican people. This goal would have a profound impact on Petra’s early life.
The only school Petra ever attended was Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, which at that time was run and taught by the Sisters of Divine Providence.
In addition to learning all the basic core subjects, Petra learned to play the church’s piano at the age of eight-years-old and the organ shortly thereafter. She played at all the weekend masses throughout her teenage years. By the time she was ten years of age, she was helping the nuns teach catechism to other students. In 1935, Petra graduated from 7th grade.
Unbeknownst to her, the Christian education she received would be utilized by Sister Benitia to support the growing Mexican community in and around the parish.
