FAMILY TREE OF THE SERVANT OF GOD,

MOTHER IGNACIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO (1663-1748)

BUN MARRIED LISI

Amui, China

Jusepe Iuco married Maria Jeronima

Ignacia del Espiritu Santo + Rafaela Rodrigues + Santiago + Juana de la Concepcion

Baptized: March 4, 1663 August 23, 1665 February 27, 1668 December 22, 1669
Madrina/o: Catalina Malinang Isabel Rodrigues Nicolas Siancong (illegible) de Passis
Ministro: Fr. Alberto Collares Fr. Alberto Collares Fr. Christoval Pedroche Fr. Alberto Collares
 The baptism of Ignacia on March 4, 1663
On March 4, 1663, Jusepe Iuco (Chinese) and
Maria Jeronima (an Yndia/Filipina) brought their
first child, a daughter, to the Church of the Holy
Kings (Iglesia de los Santos Reyes)
of Parian Binondo,
Manila for baptism.
The child who was
named Ignacia del
Espiritu Santo, was
baptized by Fr. Alberto
Collares, O.P. Her
godmother was Catalina
Malinang.
Ignacia as a child and as a Teenager

Ignacia grew up with her parents,

secured in the conveniences of life.
Being a child from a middle class
family, Ignacia was taught the
rudiments of reading and writing.

As she grew older she was taught the skills

of embroidery and to do household chores.

Above all, to pray and to love

God and the Virgin Mary with
whom she was deeply devoted.
 Age 21….

When she reached the

age of maturity, her
desire for God also
increased. Her
attendance in catechism
classes with her co-
yndias, nurtured and
nourished her deep faith
in God. She started to be
attracted to a life of
intimacy with God – to
give herself to God.
 The plan of her
parents

Her parents however had their own

plan for her. They wanted her to marry
and have a family of her own to secure
her future. She was confused.
 Ignacia went to seek the advice of
Fr. Pablo Klein, SJ, a well-known Spiritual
Director to help her solve her problem.
She wanted to
enter the Beaterio
de Santa Catalina
but Fr. Klein, SJ
told her to go into
retreat first in
order to know the
will of God.
The Will of God FOR HER
In her retreat, she
was inspired by
God to remain in
the service of His
Divine Majesty and
to live by the sweat
of her brow. This,
she believed, was
the will of God for
her.
 Her Parents’ Blessing

Her decision was shared with her parents. She

then left home with the blessing, bringing with
her only a pair of scissors and needle to
support herself. She had so great a trust in
God’s providence
The Family of Mother Ignacia
Pair of scissors and a needle for her
livelihood.
 ….. and her Departure

Ignacia leaves her home for a

life of simplicity and sacrifice
A life of prayer, sacrifice and poverty

Even if she came

from a life of
comfort and
convenience, she
did not hesitate to
do things that were
considered lowly
for the love of God.
 The Nucleus….

Young girls became attracted to her exemplary way of

life. Her niece Cristina Gonzales joined her first,
followed by two others. Later the group was known as
Beatas de la Compania de Jesus, “Because of their
frequent attendance in our Church to assist at Mass,
receive holy communion and sacrament of confession,
make the spiritual exercises and perform other
devotions.” (Fr. Murillo Velarde, SJ)
 Sometimes when they ran out of oil, they
would eat under the moonlight with leaves as
plates and salt for viand which they asked
from the Jesuits.
 A life of
sacrifices…

For Ignacia, the hardships she encountered

were not enough. She did personal
mortification and ascetic practices common
during her times in order to call on God’s
mercy upon her group and to know what
course of action to take in every difficulty.
 The Beatas’ virtuous life flowed
into service of neighbor.

Her new home was

always open to the
needy especially to the
women. She taught
them tasks women
should know like
household chores.
 Mother Ignacia and her ConstitutionS
1726 Constitutions
Because her group was increasing in
number, Fr. Klein, SJ suggested that
Mother Ignacia write down the 1726
Constitutions so that the spirit of the
Beaterio would live forever. This would
define the lifestyle to be followed by
Mother Ignacia and her companions.
This was presented to the proper
government and Church authorities for
assessment and approval.
Mother Ignacia relinquished her position as Superior of the
House
After presenting the
Constitutions to the
Archdiocese in 1726 and
receiving its approval in 1732
from the Fiscal Provisor of
Manila, Mother Ignacia gave
the leadership of the Beaterio
to a younger Beata, Mother
Dominga del Rosario. She
remained an ordinary
member of the Beaterio she
founded until her death.
Her Return to her Creator
September 10, 1748
On September 10,1748 at
the age of 85, she quietly
gave up her spirit. Tradition
says she died while kneeling
after receiving Holy
Communion. During burial,
she was honored by the
presence of Spanish
officials and Ecclesiastics
who carried her coffin to the
grave. Mother Ignacia was
buried at the Church of St.
Ignatius.
 The Congregation after Her Death

The holy death of Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu

Santo did not close the chapter of her earthly life.
The good works she had done for the Church and for
the society continue up to this moment of our
history. With deep faith and trust in God, certain
early Beatas left the Beaterio of Intramuros to
become missionaries.
 Two Years After Her Death

1750: the letter of the Archbishop of

Manila soliciting royal recognition of
the Beaterio reached the king of
Spain.
 The Council

The Council in Spain solicited opinion from the

Audiencia of Manila and the Governor- General of
the Philippines.
 The King’s Decision

On November 25, 1755, King Ferdinand VI gave his official

recognition with royal protection, but the Beaterio had to remain a
secular institute which means that its Constitutions should have
no provisions that would characterize it as a religious community.
Furthermore, it would be placed under the supervision of the
governor-general and exempt from the intervention of the
Archbishop.
 Joy Fills the Beaterio

The decision of King Ferdinand VI

to give the Beaterio a royal
protection gave joy to the Beatas.
 Short - Lived Joy

When the Beatas were informed that sections in the

Constitutions pertaining to religious life had to be
deleted, they were discouraged, however, they
continued to live the life of a religious.
 The Departure of their Spiritual Guides….another
CHALLENGE…another CROSS

On February 27,1767, King Charles II of Spain decreed that

the Jesuits in his dominions be expelled including those in the
Philippines. The Beatas lost their spiritual guides but the
Archbishop of Manila and other Churchmen offered them help.
They contributed to the support of the Beaterio and its retreat
works and the Beatas persevered in their service of God.
 The Return of the Jesuits…the Call to Tamontaka

Upon the return of the Jesuits

to the Philippines in 1859, they
were sent to Tamontaka for
pastoral work and to form
Christian communities from
among the Tiruray converts.

Because of their need to attend

to the girls ransomed from the
Muslims, Fr. Jose Cuevas, the
Jesuit superior wrote the
beaterio to send some Beatas to
assist them.
 The Response

Mother Fermina Generoso Cruz, the Beaterio

Superior then sent Agapita Domingo, Bibiana
Zapanta and Bibiana Rivera, all recogidas who
volunteered to go to Tamontaka. They received the
religious habit and were guided by the Jesuits in
their formation as Beatas.
 The Fruits of the TAMONTAKA Mission…

According to the Jesuits, the children became happy

through the Tamontaka mission. They acknowledged
the wonderful change in the girls under the care of
the Beatas – “in a few days they became transformed,
unrecognizable, and quickly understood and learned
the Christian prayers” ---
 Educational Decree of 1863

By this decree, all municipalities were required

to open schools. In Mindanao, the Jesuit
missionaries requested the Beatas to assist
them in Tamontaka, Dapitan, Dipolog,
Zamboanga and Butuan.
 The Philippine Revolution in 1896…
the ROLE of the Beatas

In August 1896, Andres Bonifacio led the outbreak of the revolution

against Spain. In 1898, the forces of General Emilio Aguinaldo asked for
the task of cleaning, cooking , washing and bandage-making for the
hospital. They followed the retreating Philippine Army, sharing with the
soldiers the vicissitudes of the war, caring for the wounded, walking and
riding in carts through the wilderness, to the plains of Central Luzon.
 Imprinted in our hearts is our eternal
gratitude for your unselfish and
meritorious services in cooperation with
the members of the Red Cross extended
towards the disabled revolutionaries. You
paid no heed to the great difficulties
met in your mission of alleviating the
pains of the wounded and the Christian
counsel you lavished on our men, revealed
your religious virtues.

Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo

The above award from Emilio Aguinaldo to volunteers during the war was
given to mother Efigenia Alvarez in 1934, during her golden jubilee.
 The REUNION- Beatas of Intramuros and Beatas of
Mindanao
The Beatas who evacuated to Bulacan
to serve the forces of Emilio Aguinaldo
returned to the Beaterio in Intramuros
in early 1900. At the same time the
missionary Beatas from Mindanao also
returned. A grand reunion took place.

Joy again filled their hearts. They

agreed among themselves to
unite under one superior general
with the permission of the
Archbishop of Manila.
 “The Change of Guard”
Arrival of the Americans

The defeat of the Spaniards in the Spanish-American war in 1898

ended Spain’s hold on the Philippines. This significant event in
Philippine history was a liberation for the Beatas from the strict
supervision of the Spanish government that did not want them to
become a religious institute.

The American Archbishop of Manila Most Rev. Jeremias J. Harty, D.D

proclaimed the actual Canonical erection on July 31, 1906.
 The Series of Joyful Events

In a general gathering on February 7, 1902, the first general

Congregation was held. The Beatas elected their First
Superior general: MoTHER Efigenia Alvarez
•July 31,1906 - Decree of Erection
•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

Finally, the Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus was

changed to Congregation of the Religious of the
Virgin Mary (RVM) -first pontifical congregation in
the Philippines.
From then on the legacy of Mother Ignacia was carried through the
years here and beyond the shores-in education, retreat, dormitory,
social ministry, and special ministries. The spirituality of Venerable
Ignacia continued to nourish and nurture her members. The
apostolates they engaged in to serve the Church expanded. No
amount of challenges and sacrifices could slow down the Sisters
wherever they were or are assigned.
 In 1986, the Church in Manila through Jaime
Cardinal Sin in cooperation with the RVM
Congregation worked religiously and relentlessly
for the cause of Mother Ignacia’s beatification.
The effort bore fruit .On July 6, 2007,
Pope Benedict XVI declared Mother
Ignacia del Espirutu Santo
VENERABLE.
On February 1, 2008, the Congregation
celebrated this momentous event in
Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz in
Binondo, Manila amidst much rejoicing.
 His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal
Rosales and several Church dignitaries
celebrated the Holy Eucharist with the
RVM Sisters and friends of Venenerable
Ignacia in attendance.
“No one who has left home, brothers or
sisters, mother or father, children or
property, for me and for the Gospel who
will not receive in this present age a
hundred times as many homes, brothers and
sisters, mothers, children and property and
persecution besides and on the age to come
everlasting life.”
Mark 10:29-30
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.