Faith in Action: The Missionary Heart of Venerable Consuelo Barcelo, OSA
Venerable Consuelo Barcelo (1857 - 1940): Foundress of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation
In the late 19th century, there were six communities of Nuns thriving in Manila. The Monasterio Real de Sta. Clara, which was the first monastery of the Poor Clares in the Philippines and the Far East founded by Madre Jeronima dela Asuncion in 1621. The Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus which was founded by Madre Ignacia del Espiritu Santo in1684, the Beaterio de Sta. Catalina de Sena which was founded by Madre Francisca del Espiritu Santo in 1696, ang Beaterio de San Sebastian de Calumpang which was founded by the blood sisters Madre Dionisia and Madre Cecilia Rosa Talagpaz in 1725, the Hijas de Caridad which came to the country from Spain in1862 and the Congregacion de las Hermanas Agustinas Terciarias de Filipinas which was founded 1883 by the blood sisters Madre Rita and Madre Consuelo Barcelo who are peninsulares or Spaniards living in the Philippines, but born in Spain. This was the status of consecrated life for women religious in the Philippines when Madre Consuelo Barcelo began her ministry in the service of the Church which will span through her lifetime.
Journeying to the Philippines: The Foundation of the Asilo de Mandaloya
Joaquina Mercedes Barcelo y Pages was born in Sarria, Barcelona, Spain on July 24, 1857. She was the youngest of five children of Salvador Barcelo and Maria Pages.
In early 1883, she entered the Beaterio de Mantelatas de San Agustin in Barcelona. Although still a postulant at that time, she was allowed to join the second group of nuns who would travel to the Philippines to start the orphanage being built in Mandaluyong, the Asilo de Nuestra Senora de la Consolacion de Mandaloya. She arrived in the Philippines on October 6 of that same year.
She was encouraged to join the second group of nuns because her older sister, Madre Rita, was among the first group of four nuns who arrived in Manila on April 6, 1883 to start the Congregacion de las Hermanas Agustinas Terciarias de Filipinas. The beatas responded to the invitation of the Spanish Augustinian Fathers to care for children left orphaned by the cholera epidemic of 1882.
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| Mo. Consuelo (center) together with the Sisters and the orphans of the Asilo |
The Augustinian nuns were warmly welcomed by the entire city in a grand celebration attended by Augustinian priests, supporters of the Asylum, and civil and ecclesiastical authorities. Since the asylum they would manage is still under construction when they arrived, they were temporarily hosted by the beatas of the Beaterio de Sta. Catalina in Intramuros.
Consecration to Religious Life
On December 26, 1884, Joaquina made her profession of vows and received the religious name Sor Consuelo. She was the first peninsulares to profess her vows as a beata in the Philippines. By the beginning of 1888, only Madre Rita and Madre Consuelo were left of the original Spanish nuns to care for the orphans in the Asylum because the other Spanish nuns had returned to Barcelona due to their illness caused by the climate in the Philippines which was very different from Spain.
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| Mo. Consuelo (seated second from left) with the sisters |
Outbreak of the Revolution
Meanwhile, the Filipino nuns were advised to return to their families. But with courage, they decided to stay together even though they did not have a single penny or a house to live in and received no help from the Augustinian Fathers. The good Hijas de Caridad gave them temporary shelter at the Asilo de Looban in Paco. They stayed there for eleven months with the help and patronage of Archbishop Nozaleda of Manila. Soon after, they reopened their orphanage in San Sebastian. Here, they also opened a school for women, which was the beginning of what is now La Consolacion College. But in December 1909, the school was raged by fire but only after two weeks, was able to reopen again in a rented house in San Rafael.
Incorporation to the Augustinian Order
In 1914, the first general chapter of the congregation was held and Madre Consuelo was elected first Superior General and in subsequent general chapters of the congregation, was again elected General Superior. She served for four terms (25 years).
In 1975, the congregation received from the Sacred Congregation for the Religious and Secular Institute the status of an Institute of Pontifical Rite as a congregation that is religious apostolic in nature.
Growth and Expansion of the Congregation
The small congregation of Augustinian nuns gradually grew and the mission expanded to various provinces. The twenty-five years of successful leadership of Madre Consuelo were marked by her humility, love for God and neighbor, concern and care for the poor and the sick. She passed away on August 4, 1940 at the age of 83.
Although she had no Filipino blood and was of pure Spanish descent, Madre Consuelo could be considered a genuine Filipina - in her love, concern, and service to the underprivileged and her contribution to the formation of Filipino youth through the numerous schools administered by the congregation she founded. In addition, she spent almost her entire life as a consecrated religious in the Philippines and it is here where she made her first profession as a beata.
Although she left the Philippines for a short while in obedience to her superiors because of the outbreak of the revolution and rejoined the Augustian Beatas in Barcelona, her heart remained in the Philippines. That is why when the opportunity arose to return, she did not hesitate to ask for a dispensation from her superiors to leave Spain again, and go back to the Philippines to lead the nuns she had left behind and to remain here until her death.
Despite facing challenges such as political upheavals ad personal hardships, Madre Consuelo remained steadfast in her vocation, embodying the Augustinian values of unity, charity and truth. As we reflect on her life and legacy, may we be inspired to live lives of service, compassion, and steadfast faith, following the footsteps of this woman who truly was a source of God's consolation.
At present, the nuns, now known as the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation, continue the mission begun by their founders and serve for the spread of the Kingdom of God in the Philippines and in other countries - Taiwan, Italy, Thailand, Spain, Vietnam, Indonesia and Canada.
On December 20, 2012 Pope Benedict XVI recognized the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Madre Consuelo Barcelo, thus making her a "Venerable".
Prayer for the Beatification
of the Venerable Consuelo Barcelo y Pages
God of love and compassion, you endowed Mother Consuelo with great love and zeal for your honor and glory. We commend to you her life and example of love of God and neighbor. With faith and trust in your gracious providence, we pray for her beatification so that she may continue to inspire us in seeking your will and living a holy life. God of mercy, we also humbly present to you our need, united with the confirmation of the holiness of life of Mother Consuelo. (Mention your intention.)In gratitude for your boundless blessings, we praise and thank You, our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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| The Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation |
References:
"Joaquina Maria Mercedes Barcelo y Pages" in Hagiography Circle: An Online Resource for Contemporary Hagiography retrieved from https://newsaints.faithweb.com/license.htm. December 3, 2019.
“Venerable Mother Consuelo Barcelo y Pages, A woman of Compassion and Consolation, Founder of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation retrieved from http://www.asolcpdo.com/index.php/about-us/ven-mo-consuelo-barcelo-y-pages-osa Retrieved on April 16, 2020.
“Venerable Mother Consuelo Barcelo y Pages, A woman of Compassion and Consolation, Founder of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation retrieved from http://www.asolcpdo.com/index.php/about-us/ven-mo-consuelo-barcelo-y-pages-osa Retrieved on April 16, 2020.
Photos: CTTO
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