Honorina de Abreu was born in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) on February 18, 1882.

She lost her mother at the age of 9. Young, beautiful and intelligent, Honorina shone in Rio in the society of that time! But at the age of 20, in the middle of a party, she suddenly felt compelled to leave the room and go home. Something had happened within her: it was the sign of her conversion.

At the age of 29, she entered the convent of the Discalced Carmelites of Saint Teresa, with the religious name of Sister Mary Joseph of Jesus. After only six years of religious life, she was elected Prioress, a fact that recurred many times. She guided the souls entrusted to her with great wisdom. She gave new vigour to the monastery and contributed to the foundation of other houses. She translated several Carmelite books into Portuguese. She wrote several poems and left countless letters. In her last years, her health was a challenge and she suffered a martyrdom in her soul.

She died on March 11, 1959.

On March 6, 1993, the decree of validity was granted to the diocesan process on her «life, virtue and reputation for holiness».