Sister María Luisa Ñaupari Gutiérrez, OP, was born in La Oroya in 1975. She is the daughter of Enrique Ñaupari and Francisca Gutiérrez, and was baptized in the parish of the Immaculate Conception. From a very young age, she felt God's call to service and to the consecrated life. She entered the Dominican Order in 1996 and made her first profession of vows in 2001.
She completed her higher education at the Sacred Heart Women's University (UNIFÉ) in Lima, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Special Education and later a second degree in Education. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in psychology with a specialization in diagnosis and intervention in learning disabilities, thus strengthening her commitment to service within the educational and human spheres.
Sister Maria's mission has been deeply connected to education, evangelization, and the accompaniment of children, adolescents, and young adults. Between 2001 and 2003, she worked at the congregation’s mission center in La Oroya, dedicating herself to family catechesis and pastoral care. Later, after completing her professional studies, she worked as a primary school teacher in Lima.
From 2011 to 2021 she served in the Parish of San Juan Bautista, in the Huancayo region, serving as a youth minister and as part of a missionary team of the Springfield Dominican Sisters committed to evangelization and accompaniment of various communities and churches in the area.
In 2021, she returned to Lima and, since 2023, has worked as a Religious Education teacher and pastoral guide for secondary school students at the Colegio San José de La Perla, an educational institution run by the Marist Fathers in the La Perla district. This work is characterized by developing a close relationship with the young people, with a focus on educating for values, and human and spiritual support of the students.
Reflecting upon her 25 years of religious life, Sister María said “Women today need not be afraid to listen to God’s voice amidst the noise of our world. As Mary, the mother of Jesus responded valiantly, Ruth with fidelity, Esther with courage, and Mary Magdalene with love and hope, each woman is called to discover her own mission.
“When we live our vocation with freedom, faith and trust in God, we find true joy,” she said. “The world needs women who are brave, sensitive, and committed to hope, justice, and love; women capable of being light in difficult times and being living witnesses of the tenderness and mercy of God.”
