A glimpse in the Lives of

MOTHER DIONISIA TALANGPAZ and

mother cecilia talangpaz
 Who are Mother Cecilia and Mother
Dionisia?
Mother Dionisia Talangpaz and her sister Mother
Cecilia Talangpaz are both a Filipino Roman
Catholic figure. They founded the "Beaterio de
San Sebastián de Calumpang" (now the
Congregation of the Augustinian Recollect
Sisters), in 1719.
Dionisia Talangpaz was born on
March 12, 1691 and Cecilia Rosa
Talangpaz on July 16, 1693 at
Calumpit, Bulacan, Philippines
from the union of Don Andres
Talangpaz and Doña Isabel
Pamintuan.
 Driven by inner strength and union of desires, they both
offered themselves to the service of the Lord in twofold
way of contemplation and action: their lives centered in
the daily Holy Eucharist, nourished by the filial devotion
to the Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Mt.
Carmel as they engaged in silent harwork in the sanctuary.
Their fidelity did not escape the notice of the OAR (Order
of Augustinian Recollects) friars of San Sebastian convent
headed by Fray Diego de San Jose and the residents of
Calumpang
 In blessed time, the two sisters
pleaded to the Friars to don the habit
Mantelatas of the Third Order of St.
Augustine which was granted on July
16, 1725
In their new life, Sor Dionisia de Sta. Maria and
Sor Cecilia Rosa de Jesus, as they were now
called, experienced difficulties and trials. They
suffered severe interior sufferings which an
ordinary heart could not bear. It was only the
grace of God that sustained them. Yet in humility
and silence they bore and lovingly endured them
all.
They told Fray Diego:
“Father, it is clear that God and the
Most Holy Virgin deigned to test us in
the crucible of sorrows. But for now,
we must be patient and suffer till Our
Lord and His Most Holy Mother will
have mercy on us.”
 In God’s due time, their immense
sufferings turned into joy. The trials
blew off. They settled peacefully now in
a new house built by the priest, who
became their great provider and
protector.
Quite prophetic were the words of Fray Benito de San
Pablo, OAR who spoke of them:

“Living under the watercourse, these

striving Beatas may increase in number in
God’s due time and cheerfully hover over the
branches of the Biblical mustard.”
From the Beaterio de San Sebastian de Calumpang
started the growth of the Congregation. The
founding which the Sisters had laid on solid rock
continued to flourish and develop even after they
were called to their eternal reward – Sor Cecilia
Rosa on the 31st of July 1731 and Sor Dionisia on
the 12th of October 1731.
 The Congregation of the Augustinian
Recollect Sisters, which originated in 1725,
is the fruit of the missionary zeal of the
Augustinian Recollect Fathers in the
Philippines. It was canonically established
as a religious Congregation on August 19,
1929 and was declared of juridical
autonomy by Pope Paul VI on November
20, 1970.
Thank
you!!!