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Father in heaven, Your name is glorified over all the earth in your saints, men and women, distinguished by a whole-hearted service and love for You. Through them You have established religious congregations in Your Church. In Your goodness and mercy, You have looked with favor on your people in the Philippines and have chosen from among them your lowly handmaid IGNACIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO to be the foundress of a religious family under the special protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We humbly ask You, then, to glorify your name in her by performing the miracles needed for her beatification. Through Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Petition). May her prayers and intercession obtain for us the favors we ask for, particularly that of remaining ever faithful to Your love and service. Amen. Venerable Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, intercede for us. |
After almost 259 years, Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo is finally two steps away from sainthood. Pope Benedict XVI has declared her as “Venerable” — a title that recognizes a person’s heroic virtue and sanctity and is the first step to sainthood. “Blessed” is the next step that occurs after at least one miracle is attributed to her intercession.
I look forward to her sainthood because she has been such a great inspiration to me. Being a part of the Religious of the Virgin Mary once, it has been my dream to see Mother Ignacia recognized as a model and mother for women of all times. I was educated in the RVM schools from kindergarten to college, and I had been an RVM sister for seven years. I can still remember as a child praying for her beatification every single day. I had tried her novena several times and each time — my prayer was granted on the third day. I had to think of another thing to ask for and then some more because her intercession was that quick.
Nine days before my husband and I got married, we also prayed the novena together. Our wedding day was successful and even when the Saint John Vianney choir couldn’t make it to our wedding, the RVM sisters were there to sing during the mass.
I am humbled that I grew up knowing Mother Ignacia with all my heart. I tell other people about her and the RVM congregation whenever I can. To me, she is not just the foundress of the first and oldest religious women’s congregation in the Philippines. She is an exemplary and great woman - heroic, humble and holy.