MODULE 2 LESSON 1 : MOTHER IGNACIA: Our
Model and Inspiration
What is living a virtuous life? How do we define
virtues?
In the letter of St. Paul to the
Philippians, he describes how to live a virtuous
life: "My brothers, your thoughts should be
wholly directed to all that is true, all that
deserves respect, all that is honest, pure,
admirable, decent, virtuous or worthy of praise"
(4:8).1
A virtue is a habitual and firm
disposition to do the good. It allows the person
not only to perform good acts, but to give the
best of himself. The virtuous person tends
toward the good with all his sensory and
spiritual powers; he pursues the good and
chooses it in concrete actions. (CCC#1803)
 Mother Ignacia’s exemplary life and
virtues are clearly described below:
FAITH: The virtue of faith implanted in
Ignacia at baptism finds expression in
her maturing years in her posture of
seeking and doing the will of the Father.
COURAGE: If faith prompted Mother
Ignacia to seek the Father’s will at all
times, this same faith gave her the
courage to do it: to overcome all
obstacles that stood between her and
the foundation of the religious family
God had called her to establish.
OBEDIENCE: The life of Mother Ignacia
reflected her triple loyalty: to God, to
the Church, and to her fellowmen. In
anticipation of God’s will in her life, she
made herself constantly disposed to
accept his Will at all times, in all places,
and under all circumstances.
HUMILITY: Pedro Murillo Velarde, the
eyewitness biographer of Mother
Ignacia, was most impressed by her
humility. She exhorted her religious
family to the practice of humility in her
Constitutions. But the crowning of her
own virtue was exemplified when she
voluntarily abdicated her position as
superior more than ten years before her
death.
HOPE: The virtue of hope lived out by
Mother Ignacia reflects her full trust
and confidence in the God to
whom she had offered her entire life. In
this same trust she voluntarily chose a
life of poverty, to “live by the sweat of
her brow” although she still had
parents who were materially well-off.
Her simple and frugal life attracted
many to follow her.
CHARITY: When Mother Ignacia
instructed her beatas to “serve God
our Lord with all their hearts,” she
reflected what in her own sense and
practice were her love for neighbor. Her
“all embracing love in Jesus Christ”
included the less privileged Indians and
Chinese mestizas as well as Spanish girls
and ladies in search of spiritual
formation and education in her times.
Excerpts from the 1726 rules of M.
Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, in charity
and ideal community
living, II.6- the peacemakers are called
children of God; they are those who live
united among themselves with genuine
charity, mutually bear with
shortcomings, and strive to correct each
other with meekness, not in order to
avenge the offense but to avoid that of
God.
 Broadened Concept:
In a papal decree dated July 6, 2007,
Pope Benedict XVI accepted the
findings of the prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
and declared that the Servant of God
Ignacia, foundress of the Religious of
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
-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.
MODULE 3: MOTHER IGNACIA AND HER
MISSION
LESSON 2: OTHER IGNACIA’S COMMITMENT TO
THE LIFE & MISSION OF THE CHURCH
 What is commitment in the context of
mission?
“Mission” can only be termed as
such if there is the presence of the
one who sends, the one who is sent
and that there is a task to be
accomplished.
“Mother Ignacia’s perseverance must
have been rooted in the joyful and
loving sharing of the cross of Jesus
Christ. she became creative and
courageous. M. Ignacia proved that the
limits of her situations are no obstacles
to doing the will of God. Precisely in
that limited context, she proved the
power of the gospel.
Drawing from her inner strength and
resources which are themselves
gifts of God, she followed Christ’s
example of service to others.
“Mother Ignacia’s vision and example
are still relevant today.
Strange are the ways of God! As we
retrieve the story of this lowly India, we
begin to realize that in her lowliness
and humility is found her greatest
treasure. Her hidden and humble
service was prophetic. It was not a timid
and passive acceptance of trials and
difficulties.
IGNACIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO
This is the missionary in Mother Ignacia.
And this missionary spirit of Mother
Ignacia is greatly influenced by her
great devotion to the Blessed Mother
Mary in her radical commitment to do
the will of God that impels her to
humble and courageous, creative and
generous service to the Church
especially the poor.
1. What is a missionary?
-A missionary is someone devoted to
advancing a specific religious belief or
ideology. They undertake a range of
activities like evangelism, preaching,
teaching, offering humanitarian aid,
and founding religious communities in
regions where the faith is new or facing
opposition.

2. Who are called to be a committed
missionary?
-Committed missionaries are individuals
who are deeply compelled by their
religious or spiritual beliefs to dedicate
themselves to spreading their faith.
They undergo specialized training to
effectively communicate across cultures
and address the diverse needs of
communities, regardless of their
backgrounds or professions.
3. Which among the works and involvement of
Mother Ignacia in the Church resounds with
your experience? Why?
-Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, a
Filipina religious sister, established the
Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) to
focus on education and social services.
Her emphasis on aiding the
marginalized and impoverished, along
with her leadership and dedication to
her religious vocation, serves as an
inspiration for those seeking to make
meaningful contributions to their
communities and uphold values of
social justice and compassion.
The Value of Work
 Mother Ignacia stressed that work
should uphold human dignity and be
dedicated to God, cautioning against
seeking human approval over divine
honor, as Jesus teaches in the Gospel.
 Mother Ignacia's perspective on work
was imbued with trust and confidence
in God's abundant mercy and
providence, emphasizing a deeper
spiritual understanding of labor.
 Mother Ignacia perceived work as a way
to glorify God, viewing it as an avenue
for individuals to express their
creativity, which she believed was
bestowed by God, thus seeing work as a
participation in God's creative process.
 Mother Ignacia understood that by
being mindful of the divine purpose in
their work, individuals glorify God
through their actions, while also
recognizing that work fosters
connections with others, leading to her
apostolic engagements, such as
teaching needlework, which
empowered women and fostered
relationships.
 Mother Ignacia viewed her work not
only as a means of supporting herself
but also as an avenue to mentor and
instill Christian virtues in young girls,
using her livelihood as an opportunity
for educating them in the Christian
faith.
 Mother Ignacia perceived the presence
of God in both her moments of prayer
and in the challenges of her daily work,
recognizing divine presence even in the
struggle to lead a purposeful life.
SOCIAL INTEGRATION: Cultural Differences
Mother Ignacia's recognition of the value of
work represented a pivotal moment for women
in the Philippine Church, leading to the
development of an indigenous religious life that
encompassed both India and Spanish women.
As “Cognitive Tribalism”, To counteract
cognitive tribalism and promote unity amidst
diversity, I aim to cultivate an environment of
understanding, empathy, and appreciation for
differing viewpoints, fostering a celebration of
the unique richness each individual contributes
to our collective experience.