IFP 2 Prelim Topics 1-3 PDF

MOTHER IGNACIA: A Model and Inspiration  PRIOR ACTIVITY: GOOGLE FORMS: TLA2: Objective Essay Expected Output: Essay Q1: What was the condition of the times during Ignacia’s growing years? Q2: How would the young Ignacia’s up...

MOTHER IGNACIA: A Model and Inspiration  PRIOR ACTIVITY: GOOGLE FORMS: TLA2: Objective Essay Expected Output: Essay Q1: What was the condition of the times during Ignacia’s growing years? Q2: How would the young Ignacia’s upbringing affect the way she would deal with others?  INTRODUCTION: We have always known Mother Ignacia as one who have lived in the past. Knowing how she lived her life would give us some knowledge of who she was, but projecting her life to the present would give us a more vivid picture of how she would be interacting with present situations. Knowing the historical Ignacia, how would she live up to the challenges of our times? With her faith and love for God and His people, she could still be the woman that we picture her to be: courageous, loving and apostolic, always on the look out how to serve best God and her fellow men and women.  IGNACIA’S ROOTS & HERITAGE Mother Ignacia was a Mestiza , of Chinese-yndia parentage Ignacia was the eldest child of: ⮚ MARIA JERONIMA, an yndia ⮚ JUSEPE IUCO, a pure Chinese immigrant from Amoy, China. ⮚ who was converted to the Catholic faith in 1652 and resided in Binondo, Manila. ⮚ And whose parents were BUN & LISI. The precise date of her birth is not known. Her baptismal record mentions only the date of her baptism, March 4, 1663. This confirms the statement of Pedro Murillo Velarde that Ignacia was 21 years old in 1684.  IGNACIA’S ROOTS & HERITAGE YOUNGER SIBLINGS: RAFAELA RODRIQUEZ : Baptized (March 4, 1665) by Fr. Alberto Collares Madrino: Isabel Rodrigues SANTIAGO : Baptized (Feb. 27, 1668) by Fr. Christoval Pedroche Padrino: Nicolas Siancong JUANA DE LA CONCEPCION : Baptized (Dec. 22, 1669) by Fr. Alberto Collares Padrino: de Passai  IGNACIA’S ROOTS & HERITAGE Mo. IGNACIA’s EARLY ADULTHOOD When Ignacia was 21 years old, her parents wanted her to marry. Heeding a call deep within but not wanting to disappoint her parents, Ignacia sought counsel from FR. PAUL KLEIN, – a Jesuit priest from Bohemia who arrived in Manila in 1682. – The priest gave her the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. After this period of solitude and prayer, Ignacia received the inspiration to “remain in the service of the Divine Majesty” and she resolved to “live by the sweat of her brow.” She left home and brought with her only a needle and a pair of scissors.  IGNACIA’S ROOTS & HERITAGE Mo. IGNACIA’s COMMUNITY LIFE She started to live alone in the house located at the back of the Jesuit College of Manila. Her life of prayer and labor attracted yndias who also felt called to the religious life but could not be admitted into the existing congregation at that time. (Monasteryo Royal de Santa Clara) M. Ignacia accepted these women into her company and the first community was born. They became known as the Beatas de la Compañia de Jesus because they frequently received the sacraments at the Church of St. Ignatius, performed many acts of devotion there and had the Jesuit Fathers for their spiritual directors and confessors.  IGNACIA’S ROOTS & HERITAGE Mo. IGNACIA’s SPIRITUALITY M. Ignacia centered her life on the SUFFERING CHRIST and tried to imitate him through a life of service and humility. She prayed earnestly to God and performed penances to move God to have mercy on them. Her SPIRITUALITY OF HUMBLE SERVICE was expressed in her capacity to forgive, to bear wrongs patiently and to correct with gentleness and meekness. – This spirituality was manifested in peace and harmony in the community, mutual love and union of wills, witnessing to the love of Christ and the maternal care of the Blessed Mother.  IGNACIA’S ROOTS & HERITAGE This spirituality sustained the beatas in their moments of difficulties especially during times of extreme poverty. The beatas continued to support themselves by the labor of their hands and sometimes received some financial help from pious people (Fr. Andres Serrano, SJ) In all these, they did not cease to thank God and to trust in divine providence. Mo. IGNACIA’s BAPTISM: Seed of Missionary Calling  WHAT IS BAPTISM? CCC 1213 “The Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.” Baptism is a form of Initiation: o It is in baptism that the baptized person is officially welcomed or incorporated into the Church, Christian Community. o It entails that Christian faith is a gift that comes from Christ which was professed by the Christian Community and eventually handed down that faith to the baptized.  CCC 1213 “The Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the GATEWAY TO LIFE IN THE SPIRIT and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.” Baptism as Enlightenment o In Baptism, the baptized becomes a Sharer in Divine Life; o By receiving Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. o This in-turn makes the baptized not just a creature but above all, becomes the child of God—children of light. TAKE NOTE: “This not any magical formula that Automatically divinizes us but it is a Life Long Process.” Thus, it is a call for a LIFE OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP by living out that identity as the Children of Light in allowing Christ’s light to shine throughout our lives. PRIMARY EFFECTS OF BAPTISM  NEW LIFE IN CHRIST CFC 1599; 1608 “In baptism, the baptized received new life with Christ… by sharing in His three-fold mission as Prophet, Priest, and King.” As PROPHET the baptized person is called to speak and to teach the Word of God backed up with deeds of power and life witnessing Jesus. As PRIEST the baptized person is called to offer worship to God in the Eucharist by receiving the sacraments, and by offering prayers and thanksgiving. As KING he baptized person is called to render a loving service to the Church, ie. to the people of God. BACKGROUND OF NAMING o IGNACIA o Christian Tradition of Naming: she was baptized on MARCH. 4, 1663 by FR. ALBERTO COLLARES, OP at the HOLY KING’s CHURCH of PARIAN, adjacent to Intramuros. o It was therefore very likely that she was born Feb.1st which was then the feast day of St. Ignatius of Antioch. o DEL ESPIRITU SANTO o It was an expression of her parents (Maria Jeronima & Jusepe Juco) great devotion to the the HOLY SPIRIT. THE NAMING WAS PROPHETIC It was prophetic in a sense that Mo. Ignacia lived out her name with a firm faith after she decided to remain in the SERVICE OF DIVINE MAJESTY by becoming a beata herself. MO. IGNACIA’s BAPTISM  Mo. IGNACIA: SHARER OF CHRIST MISSION PRIESTLY MISSION Mo. Ignacia fulfilled this by being a woman of faith and prayer through her practices of piety and spiritual exercises that eventually influenced her beatas: – to live the exemplary life of prayer and penance – and to participate actively in the religious celebrations in the community most especially in the Holy Eucharist. – Her positive influence made her companions to be in God’s presence at all times and in all places (1726 Rules:1.2.7;II.25). Thus, Mo. Ignacia was zealous for the good of the souls by always encouraging her companions to preserve in their commitment to God (1726 Rules:I.1,10,26,38, 39,42).  Mo. IGNACIA: SHARER OF CHRIST MISSION PROPHETIC MISSION Mo. Ignacia, eventhough unheard of during their times, fulfilled this by preaching boldly the truth both in her words & actions that a native expression of Christian faith is possible and that yndias/yndios are not dumb “mang-mang”. As a result, the native community of pious women known as the Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus was established and became the champion in teaching the Catholic faith to the natives, mestizas, and españolas. Thus, Mo. Ignacia brought light and hope to a society darkened by division and afflicted by discrimination.  Mo. IGNACIA: SHARER OF CHRIST MISSION KINGLY MISSION Mo.Ignacia fulfilled this by leading a group of native women in serving God through their loving service of the people especially to the underprivileged young girls: – by teaching the skill of needle work, chores, reading, writing, and above all teaching them about Christian faith. In this sense, Mo. Ignacia clearly showed respect and gave support for those dehumanized by poverty, ignorance, and helplessness. She lived in solidarity with the poor of her times and showed concern for those who needed help and support (1726 Rules I.22;28,27). Thus, Mo. Ignacia, as a leader, gave an example of service without counting the cost; it is a kind of service that is propelled by love for God. (1726 Rules I.1;VI.16);  SYNTHESIS…….. Thus, Mo. Ignacia was able to live out her Christian identity as missionary by fulfilling the three-fold mission that she shared from Jesus Christ at the moment of her Baptism. In doing this mission, she helped others respond to the dynamic presence of the spirit in their own lives. MOTHER IGNACIA: The Missionary  Mo. IGNACIA’S VOCATION TO SERVICE Mother Ignacia was inspired by the Holy Spirit to remain in the “service of the Divine Majesty” She understood Christian life to be a life of loving service to others in response to God who is a loving and merciful Father. She dedicated herself to “the service of God, our Father, whose greater honor and glory must be the motive of all our acts” (1726 Rules VI.16) (Co, 1998. p. 112).  The young women who entered the Beaterio were to be known as those who ‘SERVE GOD, OUR LORD.’ This phrase was reiterated sixteen times at most strategic points in the Constitutions: FROM THE OPENING TEXT: “The goal which should motivate each and every young woman who would aspire to stay in this House must be to serve the Lord God with all their heart…” THE FINAL STATEMENT: “the motive of all our acts must be the service of God our Father, for His greater honor and glory.” BEATAS CONSTITUTIONS  GOAL OF THE BEATAS: “to be pursued constantly throughout the day so that all their thoughts, words and actions were directed to God’s service in great fidelity and total dedication of their lives, day by day until death.” Thus, Mo. Ignacia showed an example to her companions that the service that is total and complete was to be rendered ‘with all their hearts’ and performed ‘truly and perfectly.’ BEATAS CONSTITUTIONS  MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENTS SPIRITUAL RETREAT FOR WOMEN The first of this involvement was in retreat for women. Women, for want of adequate facilities, were limited to preached “missions” during the Lenten season. The foundation of the Beaterio provided them with the facilities for CLOSED/LIVED-IN RETREATS. In Archbishop Martinez’s letter in the year 1748, he wrote: “there some two hundred and more Spanish and native women gathered during the months of September, October and November for the eight-day retreat.” Moreover, the beatas followed up the conferences given by the priest with explanations in the indigenous tongue, and helped prepare the retreatants for a FRUITFUL CONFESSION.  MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENTS EDUCATION FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUNG GIRLS Mother Ignacia did not limit her apostolic involvement to the spiritual, but expanded to the education of young girls. The Constitutions provided that children of not more than eleven years of age may be admitted for education in the ‘holy fear of God, Christian doctrine, in the proper upbringing and training in the feminine skills of sewing and embroidery, as well as in reading and writing. Moreover, this education ministry which was initiated by Mo. Ignacia paved the way for the administration of the Municipal and early Parochial schools which later on developed into private Catholic Institutions of the Congregation, eg. (1905 University of the Immaculate Conception)  MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENTS MINISTRY OF THE DORMITORY The beaterio as the Casa de Recogidas, may be considered the forerunner of the dormitory ministry. In this ministry, they accepted women who wished to withdraw from the hustle and bustle of society, to live out the rest of their life in seclusion and prayer, without taking the vows of the evangelical counsels, preferred to live within the confines of the beaterio. Some of them were widows, others, single, but all had in common the desire to spend more time in retirement. In the beaterio they found the quiet and security they sought and the care of the Sisters for their well-being. There were also the younger girls who constituted the boarding pupils, living in the institution during class days, and spending their vacations with their families. MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENTS Immaculate Conception Ladies Hall Dormitory- Cebu Sto. Rosario Ladies Home Dormitory- Cebu  MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENTS THE SOCIAL MINISTRY The impetus for social services in the Congregation developed to address the rising rural and urban problems in the country. The government relocation program for squatters in Metro Manila created resettlement centers that were in great need of social workers to evangelize and address human rights violations. Under the initiative and leadership of SR. M. TERESA GARCIA, the Social Action Ministry in the Congregation was organized, and a good number of Sisters volunteered for the different phases of services since 1972 and trained for social ministry. MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENTS The Mother Ignacia Hospital, West Timur Indonesia  MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENTS SEMINARY MINISTRY Service of the RVM sisters in the seminaries was one of the ministries that arose as a need in the Church in the Philippines. The Sisters bring the feminine influence in the seminary. As CO-FORMATORS, their work includes academic administration, faculty member, dietician, guidance counselor, infirmarian and house manager.