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RIPPLES, the THEME of this WEBPAGE in honor and for the Causes of Beatification and Canonization of  Venerable Francisca del Espiritu Santo de Fuentes, or as we fondly call her - MOTHER FRANCISCA, epitomizes her life of faithful fulfillment to her very words, “GOD CAN NOT BE RESISTED”. The magnificent love and mercy of God stirred her life and deeply penetrated through her soul to forget herself and offered her all for His service.

By God's unfathomable design, His hands work providentially to fulfill His plan through this self-effacing Servant, as in Milicia de Jesucristo, Fr. Francisco Gainza, OP wrote: " ...from early childhood, it had already been known what could have been expected of her on reaching maturity, for even when she was still very young, she had already displayed a precocious modesty, an edifying composure, a sort of prudence superior to young age, a tender devotion to God and a vivid desire not to offend Him Whom she loved even before she got acquainted with earthly vanities..."(Positio, p.30).

Her pursuit of spiritual perfection through dedicated prayers and charitable works to the poor sick and the young, rippled through the heart and souls of other women in her time. Her life influenced theirs to make a difference in the society and people they live with.

Mother Francisca hurdled all forms of trials: come to think of how much she could have suffered from the setback of losing her husband and being left childless at a young age; how with courageous persistence she dealt with the opposition from both ecclesial and state authorities during the advent of the establishment of her first community to the foundation of the Beaterio; how her prudence as the appointed prioress and her fidelity to the Rule were tested by her very own sisters at Sta. Potenciana until their return to the Beaterio after more than two years of exile; how she stood up firm and unperturbed by cultural negativism and criticisms in her decisions that concern the Beatas and the Beaterio in her unwavering desire to build a passageway for her community to gain access to the Blessed Sacrament in the Church of Letran.

Finally, towards the twilight of her missionary life on earth, having worn out by her acts of perpetual mortification and mortal fatigue to securely give a solid establishment of the Beaterio, her corporal frame deteriorates but her spirit continues to edify persons around her especially her confessor, Fr. Juan de Sto. Domingo.

Mother Francisca returned to her Creator with heroic resignation and humility on August 24, 1711, on the feast of St. Bartholomew, and was buried with all solemnity in the Church of San Juan de Letran. Her tomb was over the steps of the Main Altar, on the side of the Gospel.

As the Theological Commission wrote in her Positio – “A Woman of Great Faith, Resolute Hope and Steadfast Love: A Woman for our Times... “, this Venerable Woman left a living legacy of her love of God and neighbor, the RIPPLE effect of God's love and mercy which continues vigorously as ever this day to create ripples of their own, from - the Beatas of the Beaterio de Santa Catalina de Sena to her sisters of the now - Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Philippines, in their active ministries to the young, the sick and the poor.

God cannot be Resisted

Official SiteFoundress, Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Philippinesof Venerable Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo de Fuentes

OP-SIENA, PHILIPPINES, THE CONGREGATION, THE VENERABLE MOTHER FRANCISCA DEFINITIVELY FOUNDED (1696)

BEATERIO DE SANTA CATALINA DE SENA
NOW, CONGREGATION OF DOMINICAN SISTERS OF ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA, PHILIPPINES

FOUNDATION AND ITS SPIRIT

The Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Philippines   ispart of theDominican Family. Its ideal is expressed in the motto:  "Contemplata aliistradere"  translated today as "Passion for Truth and Compassion for Humanity".  St. Catherine of Siena whose life is an embodiment of this ideal is the patroness of the Congregation. 

The Beaterio de Sta. Catalina de Sena was conceived as early as 1682 with the meeting of Mother Sebastiana de Santa Maria, Mother Antonia Esguerra and Mother Francisca de Fuentes. That meeting “marked the beginning of the religious life in community”  such that when the Beaterio was formally inaugurated on July 26, 1696 in Intramuros, Manila it became the”first Philippine religious community” (Nick Joaquin, “Beatas of the 17th Century Manila).

The foundress, Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santode Fuentes was its first Prioress.  She lived a life of compassionate ministering towards the sick, the poor and the young.

In the spirit of sharing in the Dominican Order’s work of evangelization, it became a Beaterio-Colegio where young native girls were educated in good doctrine and Christian life on March 3, 1706.

It is with gratitude that the Dominican Province of  the Holy Rosary is remembered for its significant role in bringing about the birth of the Beaterio. The Congregation also acknowledges the collaborative efforts and important roles of the following persons in the foundation of the Beaterio:

Rev. Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo,OP

Rev.Fr .Juan de Santa Maria, OP

M. Sebastiana de Jesus (de Sta. Maria)

M. Antonia Esguerra

Don Juan de Escano (Dominican Tertiary)

The First Beatas

The Beaterio became a Congregation with Diocesan right on October 15, 1933 and raised to a pontifical status with the decree on May 25, 1970.

Today the Congregation is engaged in the work of evangelization through the apostolate in education, health care, spirituality centers and other related ministries such as catechetical work, lay formation, out-reach projects for the poor and social communications here and abroad.

 Constitutions pp.1-2

 

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