The Wise Friar

The Cassandra Martyrs of Charity   Who could understand God's designs and fathom His wisdom, when He suddenly called His workers  in his vineyard back to Himself in a most tragic and unexpected manner so that He could be more glorified through the witness and selfless offering of their lives?  There could have been much rejoicing in heaven when God finally received into His  kingdom, His good and faithful servants.   Sisters Mary Consuelo Chuidian, Mary Concepcion Conti, Mary Virginia Gonzaga and Mary Catherine Loreto were professed members of the Religious of the Good Shepherd (RGS) Congregation ministering and serving in some of the poorest communities in Mindanao Region. They were just four of a group of 12 religious sisters, a priest,  several lay church workers and a protestant pastor, who offered their lives to save the lives of fellow passengers of the doomed MV Dona Cassandra that capsized off the shark-infested coast of Surigao during a typho...

Other Casssandra Martyrs of Charity The Cassandra Martyrs is a collective term used to designate a group of 12 missionaries; 7 nuns, a priest, 3 lay Church workers and a protestant pastor who offered their lives to save passengers of the MV Dona Cassandra which capsized off the Coast of Northeastern Mindanao on that fateful day of November 21, 1983 during a typhoon.  The term "Martyrs of Charity" was first used by Pope John Paul II when he authorized the canonization of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan Conventual Friar as a martyr of charity in October 1982. He over-ruled the recommendation of a theological commission which he created to determine whether Maximilian Kolbe could be canonized a martyr which voted that Kolbe's self-offering did not meet the theological and canonical criteria for martyrdom and proceeded canonizing St. Maximilian Kolbe not just as a confessor, but also as a martyr.   Recently, Pope Francis has issued a motu propio "Maiorem hac dilect...