SIMON DE FUENTES AND ANA MARIA DEL CASTILLO Y TAMAYO

Parents of Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo de Fuentes and Sor Ana de San Jeronimo.

Source: Mother Francisca Commission, 2004.

M. ANA MARIA DE SAN JERONIMO

+15 de Mayo 1708

The older sister of Francisca. She was married to Pedro de Jara. They had 2 children: a son who became a Religious of St. Augustine and a daughter who left Sta. Isabel and got married. She became a widow. She served Sta. Isabel for many years as a portress and rectora. She was among the first who took the habit in the Beaterio. Given the permission she served Sta. Isabel wearing the habit. Later she asked for permission to leave her position and came to the Beaterio. She did not complete two years when she died. Breve Relacion by Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo, 3rd English edition, Quezon City 2003, 47,103-104.

Source: (a) Mother Francisca Commission, 2004. (b) Milicia de Jesucristo by Gaínza, 1859

FR. EMMANUEL DE SAN MATTIA, OSA

Nephew of Mother Francisca and son of her sister M. Ana de San Jeronimo. He made his solemn profession on the 15th of September 1688 in the conventof San Agustin, Intramuros, Manila

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2004

FR. JUAN DE STO. DOMINGO, OP

1640-1726

Nobody knew the foundress, Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo, better than him. Nobody could write about the saintly woman and about the foundation better than him. The story ends with her death.

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission 2024

DON JUAN ESCAÑO Y CORDOVA

+ 14 de Febrero 1710

Benefactor of the Beaterio

“Father, if you will allow it, I would like to help the Beatas in whatever would help your Paternity with regards to expenses. As I have no children neither will I get married, so the Beaterio from now on will be the owner of all I have and will have…”

General of Galleon, Tertiary of the Order of Saint Dominic and Benefactor of the Beaterio de Santa Catalina. He died on February 14, 1710.

Source:  Milicia de Jesucristo by Gaínza, 1859

FR. JUAN DE SANTA MARIA, OP

+ 1715

Prior of Santo Domingo Convent for three times, Regent of Studies, and Rector of the University of Santo Tomas (1682-1684,1702-1706 )

The Beatas communicated to him their wish to live in community. He placed Mother Francisca and Mother Antonia in the houses of Maria Garcia in front of the belfry of the Convent of Sto. Domingo.

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2004

FR. BARTOLOME MARRON, OP

+ 1717

It was to him as confessor that the beatas communicated their desire to live together in community. It was in 1686, then elected Prior Provincial that a petition for a beaterio was sent to Very Rev. Master of the Order, Fr. Antonino Cloche, OP. This was granted on January 11, 1688.

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2024.

FR. FRANCISCO JIMENEZ, OP

Prior Provincial 1702-1706

Prior Provincial at the time of the exile of the Beatas to Sta. Potenciana. He challenged them: “Señoras, the door is open for those who would like to go, do not wait to give us nay more troubles, but to those who will persevere, the Order will not fail them”

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2024

FR. GREGORIO GIRALDEZ, OP

+ 1710

He read to the Beatas the rule compiled by Fr. Juan de Sto. Domingo and the Constitutions and the manner of professing the vows of obedience, poverty and chastity in the afternoon of July 26, 1696.

Image Source : Creation, Mother Francisca Commission 2024

FR. PEDRO DE MEJORADA, OP
Prior Provincial 1710-1714

Succeeded Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo as Prior Provincial. To him, Mother Francisca renewed the request about the project of the passage from the Beaterio to the Church of San Juan de Letran which he received well.

• Source:  Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2021.

FR. JOSE VILA, OP
Prior Provincial 1698-1702; 1716-1718

As Prior Provincial, he looked at the Beaterio with affection. He asked Fr. Juan de Sto. Domingo to take care of the Beatas in every spiritual matter and everything concerning the work

Source: Mother Francisca Commission, 2004.

FR. ANTONIO CLOCHE, OP
Master General of the Dominican Order 1686-1720

The petition to establish a Beaterio in Manila was confirmed and granted by this Master General given in Rome in the Convent of STA. Maria de la Minerva, on the 11th day of January 1688

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonin_Cloche 

ARCHBISHOP fRANCISCO DE LA CUESTA
Archbishop of Manila 1707-1722

Although he did not give Mothe Francisca the Permit to have the Blessed Sacrament of the Beaterio, however after he granted the passage from the Beaterio to the Church of Letran.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_de_la_Cuesta

ARCHBISHOP DIEGO CAMACHO Y AVILA
+ 1712

Archbishop of Manila (1695-1706) and Guadalajara, Mexico (1706-1712). A controversial figure in Philippine ecclesiastical history. One of the most dramatic moments of the dispute arose around the Beaterio de Santa Catalina, over which the Archbishop and the Dominicans, claimed to have immediate jurisdiction. This resulted in the excommunication of the Beatas.

Source:  Milicia de Jesucristo by Gaínza, 1859

CAPT. BARTOLOME PRIETO
Father of Sor Rosa de Sta. Maria

Took his daughter out of Sta. Potenciana in order to marry her of to a certain man. Not getting what he wanted, he left the Beaterio angry and irritated. However, when he learned that Rosa was given the habit, he cried with joy everyday and with an earnest desire to see Rosa as a religious.  (Breve, Chap. II)

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2004

BACHILLER DOMINGO DIAZ

The Royal Chaplain of the Colegio de Sta. Potenciana requested for the lifting of the excommunication, so that the Archbishop mighty be pacified.

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission,2004.

FRANCISCO SANTOS DE OLIVEROS

The witness and secretary to the two documents issued by Archbishop D. Camacho to Mother Francisca and the Beatas.

Source: Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2004

DON DOMINGO ZABALBURU
Governor General

He sought shelter for the Beatas in the Colegio de Sta. Potenciana. Dispensed from their vows of obedience and poverty, the Beatas removed their habits. The Governor’s carriage brought them to Sta. Potenciana. (Breve, Chap. VIII)

Image Source : Creation, Mother Francisca Commission 2004

DON FAUSTO CRUZAT Y GONGORA
Governor General of the Philippines 1690-1701

It was this governor who happened to pass by the front wall and learned about the work going. Upon learning that it was the Beaterio, he questioned whether it has obtained permission of the King.

Source:  Creation, Mother Francisca Commission, 2004.

MOST REV. ANDRES GONZALES, OP
Bishop of Caceres 1681-1706

Bishop of Nueva Caceres and the Delegate of His Holiness in the Philippines at the time of the foundation of the Beaterio. As soon as the exile of Santa Potenciana was over in march 1706, Bishop Gonzales hastened to congratulate Mother Francisca and to express his profound joy over the happy end of the sufferings of the Beatas. (APSR Sta. Catalina, Tomo 5, fol. 95)

Source: Mother Francisca Commission, 2004.

FR. PAUL KLEIN, SJ

When Mother Francisca and the Beatas were excommunicated by Archbishop Camacho, some important persons of manila tried to calm him. Even Fr. Klein, who worked in cavite, for whom the Archbishop had much respect and esteem, came to the city in favor of the beatas; but he also got a rebuke, with no little distress. (Breve, Chap VII)

Source:  Mother Francisca Commission, 2004.

THE FRANCISCAN FATHERS

Good reports form the Governor, the Archbishop and the Court of Justice were sent to His Majesty on behalf of the city. The Franciscan Fathers learned about it and they wrote a report against it; but as Mother Francisca said then “the will of God cannot be resisted”.

Source:  Mother Francisca Commission, 2004.

INTRAMUROS
The Walled City in the Spanish Conquest 1571-1898.

The Servant of God Francisca del Espíritu Santo de Fuentes was born in this Walled City. Her life revolved mostly around these five institutions: Beaterio de Santa Catalina, Santo Domingo Convent, Colegio de San Juan de Letrán, Colegio de Santa Potenciana and San Juan de Dios Hospital.

Source: Mother Francisca Commission 2004

MANILA BAY

The map illustrates why Manila became the center of commerce even before the coming of Spaniards.  Its port gives an easy access to traders from foreign lands.  It is also around this area that Spaniards opted to build a fortified city, Intramuros, popularly known the Walled City of Manila.  It is where Francisca grew up and later built the Beaterio de Sta. Catalina de Sena  with  the other Beatas and later received a great deal of support from the Dominican Fathers.

Photo Source:  published by Pedro Ortiz Armengol in Intramuros de Manila, Madrid 1958, 123, Drawn by J. Martinez ,   1^st   published in    La Ilustración Filipina  1892

PASIG RIVER

It is connected to Manila Bay and extended to Pasig- where Sebastiana was a native of this place.  Photograph taken in 1897.

PUERTA DE ISABEL II

A gate opened to the Pasig River by San Juan de Letran. This was also viewed from the Beaterio de Santa Catalina.

Photo: Pasadizo with the Puerta Isabel II in the background.
Source: Blas Sierra de la Calle, Filipinas 1870-1898: imágenes de la Ilustración Española y Americana, Valladolid: Graf. Andrés Martín, S.A. 1998, 73. Original photograph by Sampietro, 1896.

THE MANILA CATHEDRAL

Francisca received the Sacrament of Baptism as resident of Intramuros, Manila.

Photo Source: published by Pedro Ortiz Armengol in Intramuros de Manila, Madrid:  1958  (A) 1st  published in    La Ilustración Filipina, 5,7 de diciembre de 1891, .206;  (B) Drawing of Fernando Barambila,  66

SAN JUAN DE DIOS HOSPITAL 

Many days Mother Francisca used to go to bring something to eat for the unfortunate sick whom she distributed and served food.

Photo: the old San Juan de Dios Hospital in Intramuros where Mother Francisca frequented to serve the poor sick.
Source: Pedro Ortiz Armengol, Intramuros de Manila, Madrid 1958, 17.

THE COLEGIO DE SANJUANDE LETRAN CHAPEL

(A) founded and administered by the Dominican Friars in 1620 and the Beaterio de Sta. Catalina (B) during the time of the Servant of God. The Passage way (C) connects the Beaterio and the choir of San Juan de Letran for the Beatas to have an access to the Blessed Sacrament. The Colegio of San Juan de letran Chapel (D) is the final resting place of the Servant of God who died on August 24, 1711. She was buried over the steps of the main altar at the gospel side of its church.

Source: Pedro Ortiz Armengol, Intramuros de Manila , Madrid 1958,180.