Kriti Mehrotra
When 17-year-old María Soledad Morales was found dead a few miles outside her hometown of Catamarca, Argentina, the whole nation was honestly left shaken to its core. That’s because she had not just been killed but actually savagely raped, mutilated, and beaten after being forced to intake such a lethal dose of cocaine that she suffered a cardiac arrest. This case was thus femicide through and through, per Netflix’s ‘Breaking the Silence: The Maria Soledad Case,’ which is just part of why Maria’s school principal, Sister Martha Amelia Pelloni, couldn’t let it go.
Sister Martha Pelloni Has Always Believed in a Higher Power and Purpose
Although born on February 23, 1941, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as the only girl among a homemaker and an Army Veteran’s four children, she was admittedly a rebel from an early age. However, instead of causing trouble by getting into the wrong sort of things, her rebellion comprised her maintaining her strong opinions while also dedicating her entire being to her God. It was thus no surprise when she took the habit around the age of 24 in 1965 by entering into the order of the Teresian Missionary Carmelites, only to then decide to continue with her formal education too.
Sister Martha actually earned a degree in Philosophy, Letters, and Education Sciences from the University of Cuyo in 1968, following which she evolved into a full-fledged educator. However, her entire perspective on life broadened in the middle of 1987 as she was diagnosed with breast cancer, making her feel as if death was already ready to knock on her front door. So, the day before her tumor removal operation, she promised her God that if he were to save her life, she would not waste a second of it before grasping opportunities to help and dedicate herself to others.
It understandably took Sister Martha a while to recover, but she did soon begin fulfilling her vow, which started with her transfer to Catamarca in 1989 and her ensuing involvement in Maria’s murder. She not only helped her fellow students organize silent marches in the hopes of quick action for justice, but she also testified in court against the suspects despite there being threats to her life. The truth is she had been transferred out of Caramen High School in 1991, with rumors suggesting it was a deliberate decision to slow down the traction this case was getting, but to no avail.
Martha Pelloni is the Epitome of an Advocate, Teacher, and Philanthropist
Sister Martha actually took her experiences from Maria’s case and continued being involved in such matters until she ultimately established the Network for Stolen Children in 2008/2009. This non-profit organization has around 35 centers across Argentina that are specially equipped to provide assistance, counseling, as well as sheer support to victims and their families — its goal is to be their safe space. The truth is she got the idea of building such a place from the flood of meeting requests she kept receiving regarding her advocacy, with most of them stating they needed her help.
After all, Sister Martha was already well known in society for challenging government apparatus, social norms, as well as traditional patriarchy while also maintaining her religious stance. Therefore, today, at the age of 83, she is still dedicated to fighting for the basic rights of women and children who, unfortunately, often become victims of abuse, corruption, and violence in her homeland. As if that’s not enough, this resident of Santos Lugares in Buenos Aires Province, which is 1,128 km away from Catamarca, is also the brains behind the Santa Teresa Foundation, which aims at helping and training agricultural workers to expand their wings.
Read More: María Soledad Morales: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?
