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I. INTRODUCTION

Mother Ignacia attempted to emulate the suffering Christ by living a life of

service and humility. She fervently prayed to God and carried out penances in an effort to

persuade Him to have pity on them. Little did Mother Ignacia anticipate that the Beaterio

would develop into a religious Congregation and continue to exist today, more than 300

years after its founding, with an international membership made up of Filipinos. She was

very modest, mortified, patient, devout, and intensely spiritual.

Mother Ignacia tried to emulate the suffering Christ by living a life of service and

humility. She centered her life on Him. In order to convince God to have mercy on them,

she prayed fervently and committed penances. Mother Ignacia ought to decide is to serve God

our Lord wholeheartedly, and to learn the way of perfection.

II. The Body /Content

MOTHER IGNACIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO

           Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo lived during the Spanish colonial era in

the Philippines. The precise date of her birth is not known but the record shows the date

of her baptism on March 4, 1663. This confirms the statement of Pedro Murillo Velarde,

biographer of Mother Ignacia, that she was 21 years old in 1684. Ignacia was the eldest

and the sole surviving child of Maria Jeronima, an yndia, and Jusepe luco, a pure Chinese

immigrant from Amoy, China. Her father was converted to Catholicism in 1652 and

resided in Binondo, Manila.

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           When Ignacia was 21 years old, her parents wanted her to marry. Heeding

a call deep within but not wanting to disappoint her parents, Ignacia sought counsel from

Fr. Paul Klein, a Jesuit priest from Bohemia who arrived in Manila in 1682. The priest

gave her the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. After this period of solitude and prayer,

Ignacia decided to ('remain in the service of the Divine Majesty/' and to "live by the

sweat of her brow." She left home and brought with her only a needle and a pair of

scissors. She started to live alone in the house located at the back of the Jesuit College of

Manila. Her life of prayer and labor attracted yndias who were also called to religious life

but could not be admitted to existing beaterios at that time. Mother Ignacia accepted these

women into her company and the first community was born. They became known as the

Beatas de la Compafiia de Jesus because they frequently received the sacraments at the

Church of St. Ignatius, performed many acts of devotion there and went to the Jesuit

Fathers for spiritual direction and confession. (Read more)

Mother Ignacia centered her life on the suffering Christ and tried to imitate Him

through a life of service and humility. She prayed earnestly to God and performed

penances to move God to have mercy on them. Her spirituality of humble service was

expressed in her capacity to forgive, to bear wrongs patiently and to correct with

gentleness and meekness. This spirituality was manifest in peace and harmony in the

community, mutual love and union of wills, witnessing to the love of Jesus Christ and the

maternal care of Mary our Blessed Mother.

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         This spirituality sustained the beatas in their moments of difficulties

especially during times of extreme poverty, when they even had to beg for rice and salt

and scour the streets for firewood. The beatas continued to support themselves by the

labor of their hands and sometimes received some financial help from pious people. In all

these, they did not cease to thank God and to trust in His divine providence.

          The growing number of beatas called for a more stable lifestyle and a set of

rules. A daily schedule was drawn up and community practices were defined. Following

the spirit of St. Ignatius, Mother Ignacia exhorted her beatas to live always in the

presence of God and to develop great purity of heart. She also emphasized charity in the

community which was dedicated to the Blessed Mother. The spirit of Mary runs through

the rules that were written for the guidance of the beatas. In defining her style of

leadership, Mother Ignacia drew inspiration from the Blessed Virgin Mary. She strove to

be the living image of Mary to her companions and exhorted them to take Mary as their

model in following Jesus.

           Mother Ignacia gradually realized that the Beaterio was called by God not

only to a life of prayer and penance but also to apostolic service. The Beaterio admitted

young girls and boarders who were taught Christian doctrine as well as works proper to

them. Mother Ignacia did not make any distinction of color or race but accepted yndias,

mestizas and Spaniards as recogidas. The beatas were also involved in retreat work and

helped the Jesuit Fathers by preparing the retreatants to be disposed to the Spiritual

Exercises.
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           Mother Ignacia submitted the 1726 Constitutions of the Beaterio to the

Archdiocesan Officer for approval. After the approval was given in 1732 by the Fiscal

Provisor of Manila, Mother Ignacia decided to give up her responsibility as Superior of

the house. She lived as an ordinary member until her death on September 10, 1748. Pedro

Murillo Velarde saw this as a great sign of humility. She had not desire to command and

control. In his estimation, Mother Ignacia was a "true valiant woman who overcame the

great difficulties which she met in the foundation from the beginning to the end." She

was "mortified, patient, devout, spiritual, zealous for the good of souls."

           A few months before her death, the Archbishop initiated a process of

securing royal protection for the Beaterio. Mother Ignacia died without knowing the

response of the Spanish king but her long life in the Beaterio must have taught her to trust

in the providence of God. Little did she expect that the Beaterio would become a

congregation and continue to exist until today, more than 300 years after her death. The

congregation, now known as the Religious of the Virgin Mary, is a living testimony to

her life as God's handmaid who opened the door of religious life to native women in the

Philippines. She proved that God is the God of all peoples, of whatever color or race.

           The royal protection granted in 1755 guaranteed the safety of the beatas

but it did not recognize the beaterio as a community of religious women. It was ordained

to remain as a pious association. The beatas, faithful to the spirit of the foundress, M.

Ignacia, lived the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience as religious women even

without being recognized as such. The expulsion of the Jesuits in 1768 was another blow

to the beatas. They lost their spiritual guides but they continued to enjoy the solicitude of

the Archbishop of Manila and other Church men. In the spirit of M. Ignacia, the beatas
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lived by the sweat of their brow and persevered in the service of God through education

and retreat work. Despite attempts by the Governor-General to change the nature of the

beaterio, the beatas remained faithful to the vision and charism of M. Ignacia and

survived the dark years.

           The growth of the beaterio into a Congregation and its response to the

apostolic challenges of the times show the vitality of the spirit of M. Ignacia. Indeed, her

lamp continues to shine as her daughters courageously strive to respond with zeal to the

call of mission in different contexts. The story of the Congregation that has grown from

the small Beaterio of Mother Ignacia continues to unfold. It bears witness to the enduring

vitality and strength of the foundation, the spirituality of Mother Ignacia. The lamp she lit

to guide the path of the native women aspiring to the religious life and the maturity of

faith still shines. It remains undimmed. The life of this lowly yndia and the fruits of her

spirituality proclaim the immense goodness and unbounded mercy of God.

          An article of the weekly paper, La Illustracion Filipina, September 7, 1803

issue, described Mother Ignacia as "the genuine product of the highest order of the nation

and a fitting model of womanhood...She was foundress of a religious institution that still

lives its pristine spirit vigorously two centuries after its foundation." The Philippine

National Historical Association gave recognition to Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo as

the first Filipina to start the first Filipino congregation for women in the Philippines, the

female organizer of retreat movements for women throughout the world and one of the

pioneers of Christian education of youth in the Philippines.

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           Today, Mother Ignacia lives in the Spirit and heart of the RELIGIOUS OF

THE VIRGIN MARY (RVM), a Religious Congregation of women, which started from

her humble foundation. The sisters are actively participating in God's mission of

proclaiming the Good News through various apostolates: education, retreat movements,

seminary, dormitory, and social ministries in the Philippines and overseas. Cardinal

Pironio, on December 8, 1983 wrote the Superior General... "The present flourishing state

of the Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary not only testifies to God's

blessings on your Institute, but also a proof that the foundations were solidly laid, that the

members of the Institute are giving witness of a truly religious life, as well as fulfilling

the service to the Church intended by Ignacia."

          Pope Benedict XVI, during a private audience on July 6, 2007 with

Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, CMF, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of

Saints, authorized the promulgation of decrees concerning 16 holy men and women who

will be elevated to the altar. One of them was Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo.

         The promulgation of the DECRETUM SUPER VIRTUTIBUS (Decree on

Virtues) which His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI accepted, ratified, and ordered to be

published in the Acts of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints last July 6, 2007, states

that the Servant of God "is found to possess to a heroic degree the theological virtues of

Faith, Hope and Charity toward God and neighbor, as well as, the cardinal virtues of

Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude.

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          On February 1, 2008, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales

presided over the promulgation which officially accorded to Mother Ignacia the title

"Venerable" at the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz in Binondo, Manila.

III. Significant Discoveries, insights, Learnings

She led the path for Filipino women of her day to live lives of prayer and service

as a means of expressing their faith and love for God. She showed to the world that even

the seemingly "lower" race could be blessed, capable of loving God, and graced to

achieve the lofty heights of sanctity.

Knowing more about the saints makes them more relatable. It enables us to

picture ourselves as saintly people. The saints also serve as brilliant examples of how to

make amends, get through difficulties, and persevere when everyone is against you.

IV. Simple Review of Related literature

"...Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, like the Blessed Mother to whom she was

devoted, was a disciple of Jesus Christ. She, like Jesus, she, like Mary, heard the word of

God and kept it by living it in her life." Fr. Edward Salmon, SJ. This site is dedicated in

honor of Venerable Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, the holy foundress of the

Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, the first indigenous Filipino female

congregation in the Philippines. (http://vmides.blogspot.com/2012/05/)

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Relevance Characterizes the Foundation of Venerable Mother Ignacia del Espiritu

Santo

The Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, in all its assessments of

the various ministries that it is involved in, traces itself back to its foundress, Venerable

Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo-a woman born in the seventeenth century but has a

relevance to the contemporary generation of the twenty-first century through the

members of the Congregation she founded in 1684.

With its prestigious claim as the first Filipino congregation of women in the

Philippines to have Pontifical Rights, it has received accolades from ecclesiastical

authorities. Foremost among the different recognition was that of His Holiness Pope

John Paul II when he spoke to the group of RVM Sisters in their pilgrimage to Rome to

commemorate the congregation's three hundred years of existence. Quoted below is an

excerpt from his talk.

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"You are rightly proud of the fact that yours was the first Religious Institute

founded in the Philippines by an indigenous Filipina, Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo.

And you are rightly proud of your three centuries of generous and faithful service to the

Church in your country and more recently, in Papua New Guinea, in Indonesia, in West

Africa, in Taiwan and in Rome itself." (25 May 1984)

His Eminence Cardinal Pironio, D.D

Corroborating to the Holy Father's remarks was a letter of His Eminence Cardinal

Pironio, written a few months earlier, to the RVM Superior General, Very Reverend

Mother Maria Josefina Yamzon, RVM on 8 December 1983. Cardinal Pironio

commended the Congregation in the following lines:

"The present flourishing state of the Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin

Mary not only testifies to God's blessings on your Institute, but also a proof that the
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foundations were solidly laid, that embers of the Institute are giving witness of a truly

religious life, as well as fulfilling the service to the Church intended by Mother Ignacia."

His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, D.D., Archbishop of Manila

The Relevance of the Religious of the Virgin Mary Sisters' ministries stands out.

His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin attests to this when he wrote:

"May you continue your great work in the Lord's vineyard by the relevance of

your apostolic work to the needs of our times." (1 January 1984

In his homily on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Congregations

foundation, His Eminence Ricardo cardinal Vidal brought to the fore his awareness of

Mother Ignacia's social amelioration mission with the following commendation-

  His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, D.D., Archbishop of Cebu

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"Her vision was directed to building of a community for service to a wider

community. Her objective was to serve the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ." (12

January 1984)

Indeed Venerable Mother Ignacia's relevance is anchored in the gospel values.

The Most Reverend Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP, Archbishop of Naga, had glowing

comments when he delivered a homily on 4 March 1984 to commemorate the baptismal

anniversary of Mother Ignacia when he stated-

His Excellency Most Reverend Leonardo Legaspi, D.D., O.P., Archbishop of Naga

"In establishing the Beaterio and impressing on the members the intensity of her

love for Christ, complete dedication to unselfish service and sacrifice she personified

during her time the resurgence of the Gospel ideals in our country. I believe it was an

integral element of God's intervention in the life of the Church in the Philippines."

Venerable Mother Ignacia's relevance today is the counterpart of her humanitarian

outlook. Whereas in her time she saw the needs of others that propelled her to undertake

apostolic activities to alleviate the sufferings of the needy. Today's modern beatas go out

of their way in order to minister to the marginalized people in society.

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V. Reflection

Following the discussion of Mother Ignacia. A brave woman, I understood that

Mother Ignacia's essential stance of faith in God and openness to the work of the Holy

Spirit is something that our modern culture needs. The depressing truths of our reality can

paralyze and demoralize us. They have the capacity to persuade us that doing good is

anything but pointless and helpless. Individuals, particularly the young, are bewildered

when they hear several voices enticing them to discover new things and resentment their

curiosity. In the midst of the confusions of our time, it is more important than ever for us

to look for the truth that frees us to live a meaningful human existence. Mother Ignacia

serves as a reminder of what is important to our existence as Christians.

What the Holy Spirit's function is in our lives. Mother Ignacia is a living example

of how crucial it is to live in accordance with God's will, who is the author and source of

all life. In order for our loved ones to be able to make the best decisions possible, Mother

Ignacia advises us to teach them how to discern. Mother Ignacia is a living example of

how crucial it is to live in accordance with God's will, who is the author and source of all

life. Mother Ignacia tells us to teach the process of discernment to our loved ones,

friends, and family so that they can make the best decisions for their lives.
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VII. References (including links) & Documentation (both and videos)

https://sma.edu.ph/mother-ignacia-read-more/

SANTO (1663-1748) ANDHERLEGACY

Source: RVM School Personnel: Norms and Policies 2008 Edition

(http://vmides.blogspot.com/2012/05/)