Francisca del Espiritu Santo Fuentes
Encyclopedia
Servant of God Francisca del Espíritu Santo de Fuentes (1647 – August 24, 1711) is a Spanish
Roman Catholic religious figure. She is the first Prioress of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena
in the Philippines
.
and Doña Ana Maria del Castillo y Tamayo, a Spanish
mestiza from Manila
in 1647. Francisca grew up to be a fine lady, and she was given in marriage to a gentleman who died shortly, leaving her a childless young widow.
Francisca then dedicated her time to prayer and social service helping many poor and sick in the city. In a vision in which she saw St. Francis and S. Dominic, she prostrated herself before St. Dominic. Because of this, she chose to be a Dominican, being admitted as a tertiary in 1682. She chose the name “ Francisca del Espíritu Santo”.
In 1686, Francisca, Antonia de Jesús Esquerra, María Ana de Fuentes (Francisca's blood-sister), and Sebastiana Salcedo requested that they be allowed to live together in a life of prayer and the practice of the virtues while continuing their social apostolate. After a brief hesitation, their request was sent to the Master General of Order of Preachers in Rome, who approved it on January, 1688.
Meanwhile, the erstwhile director of the Third Order, Fr. Juan de Santa María, who favored the request of the ladies, was assigned to Bataan, and Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo was assigned in his place. The new Director was against the project and the proposal was laid aside. Francisca and her companion were deeply dismayed, but Sebastiana prophesied that although she and Antonia would not live to see it, the Beaterio would be a reality.
Francisca was progressively maturing spiritually, and her desire for serving the needy grew more and more. The desire for the realization of the Beaterio also grew more intense so that one day, after confession, she opened once more the subject to Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo, and she got scolded for her. “impatience’. But bravely, she told Fr. Juan with a tone of prophecy: “ Father Prior, the Beaterio will be established, and Your Reverence will see it”.
Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo was enlightened and became one of the powerful supporters of the Beaterio project. Under his direction, Mother Francisca and her companions lived at first the house of Mother Antonia de Esguerra who had by then died.
On the feast of St. Anne in 1696, the Beaterio was formally established with Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo, then Provincial, presiding. And on this joyful occasion, Mother Francisca was appointed first and founding Prioress for life. The first community consisted of Mother Francisca, Mother Maria, and Mother Rosa de Santa Maria. The community was placed under the patronage of St. Catherine of Siena and accepted in the Provincial Chapter of 1698.
But their joy would not last very long, for in 1703, Manila Archbishop Don Diego Camacho wanted the Beaterio under his jurisdiction. The conflict grew until Archbishop Camacho excommunicated Mother Francisca, and put the other sisters under interdict. To avoid scandal, the beatas removed their habits and with the help of the Governor General and counsel from the Dominican Fathers, they went into “exile” at the Santa Potenciana College, there to stay for over two years in “ Babylonian Exile”.
Mother Francisca suffered the most under these grave trials, but with heroic courage, she and most of the Sisters increased their religious and hoping for the day of victory.
Since part of the opposition against the Beaterio was a question of finances, very valuable help came from a lay Dominican Tertiary, Don Juan de Escaño y Cordova, who in 1704 assured the Beatas an annual subsidy through the Dominican Province of the Holy Rosary of two thousands pesos – a considerable sum in those days.
The time of triumph came in 1706 when after some negotiations, their former opponent Archbishop Camacho changed heart and began to show himself sympathetic to the Beatas. With the help of the Governador General and the Dominican Fathers, Mother Francicsca and her Sister returned to their original home, having donned once more their Dominican habits, there to live under the rules set for them as beatas, with a few added features of their religious life as prescribed by the Archbishop. The permit from the Archbishop is dated 26 March 1706. With Mother Francisca at the time of their return were (15) fifteen Spanish Sisters including a novice, and in addition, there were lay Sisters and a girl who eventually donned the habit. It was in the same year that the Beaterio became a Beaterio-Colegio which admitted Spanish girls, “mestizas” and natives, instructing them in the (4) four R’s Religion, Reading Writing and Arithmetic with Music, Embroidery, Flower Making, etc.
The major trials having passed, Francisca continued with even greater ardor her pursuit of spiritual perfection for herself and for spiritual daughters. Like the brave and strong woman that she was she governed the Beaterio with great prudence and fidelity to the Rule, making the Eucharist the sublime center of the community’s spiritual life. To do this in the absence of a Chapel for the Blessed Sacrament in the Beaterio, she importuned, against many difficulties, the Fathers of San Juan de Letran College, to build a corridor connecting the Beaterio to the chapel of the Blessed Sacraments in the Church of Letran. As always, her prayers eventually prevailed.
Wornout physically by her perpetual acts of mortification, and her continual strunggle to secure the solid establishment of the Beaterio, she became ill and was suffering with heroic resignation and humility for several months, edifying everyone with her extraordinary spiritual life. And on the feast of St. Bartholomew on 24 August 1711, she was born to eternal life, leaving behind her living witness to her love of God and neighbor- the Beaterio de Santa Catalina de Sena which lives vigorously as ever up to this day as the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de Siena.
on July 26, 1696 and Mother Francisca was appointed Prioress for life. The first community consisted of Francisca, María, and Rosa de Santa María. The community was placed under the patronage of St. Catherine of Siena and accepted in the Provincial Chapter of 1698.
, wanted the Beaterio under his jurisdiction, and the conflict grew until Archbishop Camacho excommunicated
Francisca, and put the other sisters under interdict
. To avoid scandal, the beatas removed their habits and with the help of the Governor General and counsel from the Dominicans, they went into “exile” at the Santa Potenciana College, staying there for over 2 years. The Archbishop later showed some pity and with a permit dated 26 March 1706, allowed Mother Francicsca and her sister to return to their original home, having donned once more their Dominican habits, where they lived under the rules set for them as beatas, with a few added features of their religious life as prescribed by the Archbishop.
With Francisca at the time of their return were fifteen Spanish sisters including a novice
, and in addition, there were lay Sisters and a girl who eventually donned the habit. It was in the same year that the Beaterio became a Convent School for Spanish girls, mestizas and natives, instructing them in the four R’s: religion, reading, writing and arithmetic with music, embroidery, flower making, etc.
. She left behind the Beaterio de Santa Catalina de Siena which still stands to this day as the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
Roman Catholic religious figure. She is the first Prioress of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena
Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena
The Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena is a Dominican congregation in the Philippines under the patronage of St. Catherine of Siena. It was founded by Fr. Juan de Sto. Domingo, O.P., of Spain in 1696. Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo Fuentes was appointed prioress...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Life
Francisca de Fuentes was born to Don Simon de Fuentes, a SpaniardSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Doña Ana Maria del Castillo y Tamayo, a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
mestiza from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in 1647. Francisca grew up to be a fine lady, and she was given in marriage to a gentleman who died shortly, leaving her a childless young widow.
Francisca then dedicated her time to prayer and social service helping many poor and sick in the city. In a vision in which she saw St. Francis and S. Dominic, she prostrated herself before St. Dominic. Because of this, she chose to be a Dominican, being admitted as a tertiary in 1682. She chose the name “ Francisca del Espíritu Santo”.
In 1686, Francisca, Antonia de Jesús Esquerra, María Ana de Fuentes (Francisca's blood-sister), and Sebastiana Salcedo requested that they be allowed to live together in a life of prayer and the practice of the virtues while continuing their social apostolate. After a brief hesitation, their request was sent to the Master General of Order of Preachers in Rome, who approved it on January, 1688.
Meanwhile, the erstwhile director of the Third Order, Fr. Juan de Santa María, who favored the request of the ladies, was assigned to Bataan, and Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo was assigned in his place. The new Director was against the project and the proposal was laid aside. Francisca and her companion were deeply dismayed, but Sebastiana prophesied that although she and Antonia would not live to see it, the Beaterio would be a reality.
Francisca was progressively maturing spiritually, and her desire for serving the needy grew more and more. The desire for the realization of the Beaterio also grew more intense so that one day, after confession, she opened once more the subject to Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo, and she got scolded for her. “impatience’. But bravely, she told Fr. Juan with a tone of prophecy: “ Father Prior, the Beaterio will be established, and Your Reverence will see it”.
Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo was enlightened and became one of the powerful supporters of the Beaterio project. Under his direction, Mother Francisca and her companions lived at first the house of Mother Antonia de Esguerra who had by then died.
On the feast of St. Anne in 1696, the Beaterio was formally established with Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo, then Provincial, presiding. And on this joyful occasion, Mother Francisca was appointed first and founding Prioress for life. The first community consisted of Mother Francisca, Mother Maria, and Mother Rosa de Santa Maria. The community was placed under the patronage of St. Catherine of Siena and accepted in the Provincial Chapter of 1698.
But their joy would not last very long, for in 1703, Manila Archbishop Don Diego Camacho wanted the Beaterio under his jurisdiction. The conflict grew until Archbishop Camacho excommunicated Mother Francisca, and put the other sisters under interdict. To avoid scandal, the beatas removed their habits and with the help of the Governor General and counsel from the Dominican Fathers, they went into “exile” at the Santa Potenciana College, there to stay for over two years in “ Babylonian Exile”.
Mother Francisca suffered the most under these grave trials, but with heroic courage, she and most of the Sisters increased their religious and hoping for the day of victory.
Since part of the opposition against the Beaterio was a question of finances, very valuable help came from a lay Dominican Tertiary, Don Juan de Escaño y Cordova, who in 1704 assured the Beatas an annual subsidy through the Dominican Province of the Holy Rosary of two thousands pesos – a considerable sum in those days.
The time of triumph came in 1706 when after some negotiations, their former opponent Archbishop Camacho changed heart and began to show himself sympathetic to the Beatas. With the help of the Governador General and the Dominican Fathers, Mother Francicsca and her Sister returned to their original home, having donned once more their Dominican habits, there to live under the rules set for them as beatas, with a few added features of their religious life as prescribed by the Archbishop. The permit from the Archbishop is dated 26 March 1706. With Mother Francisca at the time of their return were (15) fifteen Spanish Sisters including a novice, and in addition, there were lay Sisters and a girl who eventually donned the habit. It was in the same year that the Beaterio became a Beaterio-Colegio which admitted Spanish girls, “mestizas” and natives, instructing them in the (4) four R’s Religion, Reading Writing and Arithmetic with Music, Embroidery, Flower Making, etc.
The major trials having passed, Francisca continued with even greater ardor her pursuit of spiritual perfection for herself and for spiritual daughters. Like the brave and strong woman that she was she governed the Beaterio with great prudence and fidelity to the Rule, making the Eucharist the sublime center of the community’s spiritual life. To do this in the absence of a Chapel for the Blessed Sacrament in the Beaterio, she importuned, against many difficulties, the Fathers of San Juan de Letran College, to build a corridor connecting the Beaterio to the chapel of the Blessed Sacraments in the Church of Letran. As always, her prayers eventually prevailed.
Wornout physically by her perpetual acts of mortification, and her continual strunggle to secure the solid establishment of the Beaterio, she became ill and was suffering with heroic resignation and humility for several months, edifying everyone with her extraordinary spiritual life. And on the feast of St. Bartholomew on 24 August 1711, she was born to eternal life, leaving behind her living witness to her love of God and neighbor- the Beaterio de Santa Catalina de Sena which lives vigorously as ever up to this day as the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de Siena.
As a Sister Prioress
The Beaterio de Sta. Catalina was founded for Spanish women by Fr. Juan de Sto. Domingo, O.P. of SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on July 26, 1696 and Mother Francisca was appointed Prioress for life. The first community consisted of Francisca, María, and Rosa de Santa María. The community was placed under the patronage of St. Catherine of Siena and accepted in the Provincial Chapter of 1698.
Conflict over the installation of a beaterio
Then Manila Archbishop, CamachoCamacho
Camacho is the last name of:* Alicia Sánchez-Camacho, a Spanish politician* Antonio Camacho Vizcaino, Spanish ministry of the interior* Carlos Camacho, a Guamanian politician* Carlos Camacho , a Colombian actor* Carlos S...
, wanted the Beaterio under his jurisdiction, and the conflict grew until Archbishop Camacho excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
Francisca, and put the other sisters under interdict
Interdict
The term Interdict may refer to:* Court order enforcing or prohibiting a certain action* Injunction, such as a restraining order...
. To avoid scandal, the beatas removed their habits and with the help of the Governor General and counsel from the Dominicans, they went into “exile” at the Santa Potenciana College, staying there for over 2 years. The Archbishop later showed some pity and with a permit dated 26 March 1706, allowed Mother Francicsca and her sister to return to their original home, having donned once more their Dominican habits, where they lived under the rules set for them as beatas, with a few added features of their religious life as prescribed by the Archbishop.
With Francisca at the time of their return were fifteen Spanish sisters including a novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
, and in addition, there were lay Sisters and a girl who eventually donned the habit. It was in the same year that the Beaterio became a Convent School for Spanish girls, mestizas and natives, instructing them in the four R’s: religion, reading, writing and arithmetic with music, embroidery, flower making, etc.
Death
Francisca del Espíritu Santo Fuentes died at 3:00 p.m. of August 24, 1711. She was buried at the gospel side of the chapel of Colegio de San Juan de LetranColegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
. She left behind the Beaterio de Santa Catalina de Siena which still stands to this day as the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena.