VENERABLE IGNACIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO
Churchmen.
Father: Jusepe Luco (Chinese)
Mother: Maria Jeronima (an Yndia/Filipina)
Baptized: March 4, 1663
Church of the Holy Kings (Iglesia de los
Santos Reyes)
Parian Binondo, Manila.
Fr. Alberto Collares, O.P
God Mother : Catalina Malinang.
 At the age of maturity, she wanted to enter
the Beaterio de Santa Catalina FR. PABLO
KLEIN, SJ advised her to go into retreat in
order to know the will of God.
 After retreat she believed that the will of God
for her is to remain in the service of His
Divine Majesty and to live by the sweat of
her brow.
 Ignacia left her home with a pair of scissors
and a needle for livelihood to live a life of
simplicity and sacrifice.
 Beatas de la Compania de Jesus (name of
their group)
- CRISTINA GONZALES (niece who first
joined her)
 1726 constitution(advised by Fr. Klein, SJ)
-define the lifestyle to be followed
by MO. Ignacia and her
companions.
-approved on 1732 from the Fiscal
Provisor of Manila
 Gave the leader ship of the beaterio to
MOTHER DOMINGA DEL ROSARIO
and remained an ordinary member of the
beaterio unti her death.
 Died: September 10, 1748
- Age of 85
- “tradition says she died
kneeling after receiving Holy
Communion.
- Buried at the Church of St.
Ignatius.
 1750 letter of archbishop of manila soliciting
royal recognition of the Beaterio reached the
king of Spain.
 November 25, 1755 KING FERDINAND VI
gave his official recognition with royal protection,
but beaterio had to remain a secular institute (not
a religious community) and would be placed
under the supervision of the governor-general
and exempt from the intervention of the
archbishop.
 February 27, 1767 KING CHARLES III of
Spain declared the Jesuits in dominions be
expelled including those in the Philippines.
Beatas lost their spiritual guide but was offered
help by Archbishop of Manila and other
 1859 return of the Jesuits in the Philippines
for pastoral work at Tamontaka and to form
Christian communities among the Tiruray.
FR. JOSE CUEVAS seek assistance to the
beatas to assist them MOTHER FERMINA
GENEROSO CRUZ (Superior) sent
AGAPITA DOMINGO, BIBIANA ZAPANTA,
BIBIANA RIVERA all recogidas who
volunteered to go to Tamontaka.
 Education Decree of 1863 this decree
required municipalities to open schools and
Jesuits asked the assistance of the beatas in
TAMONTAKA,DAPITAN, DIPOLOG,
ZAMBOANGA and BUTUAN.
 August 1896 Andres Bonifacio lead the
outbreak of the revolution against Spain.
 1898 Forces of Emilio Agunaldo asked for
help to the beatas.
 1934 award from Emilio Aguinaldo given to
volunteer during the war through Mother
Efigenia Alvarez during golden jubilee.
 July 31, 1906 american Archbishop of Manila
MOST REV. JEREMIAS J. HARTY, D.D.
proclaimed the actual Canonical erection.
 February 7, 1902
- First General Congregation was held.
- MOTHER EFIGENIA ALVAREZ elected first
SUPERIOR GENERAL.
 March 17, 1907 decree of praise granted.
Recognized as Religious Institute by POPE
PIUS X.
 March 24, 1931 decree of Approbation
 January 12, 1948 definitive pontifical
approval by POPE PIUS XII.
 RELIGIOUS OF THE VIRGIN MARY (RVM)
first pontifical congregation in the
Philippines.
 1986 church in manila through JAIME
CARDINAL SIN in cooperation with the RVM
congregation worked for the beatification of
Mother Ignacia.
 JULY 6, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI declared
Mother Ignacia del Espiretu Santo
VENERABLE.
 February 1, 2008 the RVM Cong. Celebrated
the momentous event in MINOR BASILICA
od SAN LORENZO RUIZ in Binondo Manila.
The decree further states that:
That the Servant of God Ignacia del Spiritu Santo,
foundress of the Congregation to the Religious of the
Virgin Mary is found to possess to a heroic degree the
theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity as well
as the cardinal virtues of Prudence, Temperance,
Justice and Fortitude.