The Wise Friar

Venerable Francisca del Espiritu Santo de Fuentes:  Tagapagtatag ng Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena Si Francisca de Fuentes, anak nina Simon de Fuentes at Ana del Castillo y Tamayo ay isinilang sa Maynila noong taong 1647.  Siya ay isang insulares  sapagkat siya'y may purong dugong Espanyol subali't sa Pilipinas ipinanganak at nagkaisip. Nang nasa wastong gulang na, siya ay ipinagkasundo ng kanyang mga magulang sa isang maginoo at sila’y nagpakasal.  Ngunit halos isang taon lamang ang kanilang naging pagsasama sapagkat maagang binawian ng buhay ang kanyang kabiyak.  Nabiyuda sa edad na 20 taon at hindi biniyayaan ng anak, ginugol ni Francisca ang kanyang panahon sa pananalangin at sa  pagtulong sa mga mahihirap at mga may sakit. Sa isang pangitain, nagpakita sa kanya si San Francisco at Santo Domingo at nakita niya ang kanyang sarili na nagpatirapa sa harapan ni Sto. Domingo.  Itinuring niya itong isang palatandaan mula sa langit kung kaya'...

In the vibrant yet rigid society of the 17th century colonial Manila, where race and class often determined one's destiny, emerged a woman whose faith and perseverance would ignite a movement that still burns brightly today.  Madre Ignacia del Espiritu Santo (1663 - 1748), a Filipina of Chinese descent, chose the narrow, thorny path of offering her self to God - at a time when native women were excluded from entering religious life.  Her life, though quietly lived, remains a profound witness to the enduring power of faith, courage and indigenous leadership. Madre Ignacia can be considered an exemplary Filipina because of her dedication and service to God and others and for paving the way for other Filipinas who wanted to pursue religious life by establishing the Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus, the origin of the congregation of Filipino sisters currently known as the Religious of the Virgin Mary, Although the then beatas and the present day RVM sisters had made a great impa...