Venerable Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitación: The Strong Willed Servant of Our Lord and Our Lady
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| Venerable Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitación |
Mother Rosario Arroyo, or "Madre Sayong" to her sisters, was born on February 17, 1884, in Molo, Iloilo to Ignacio Arroyo and Doña Maria Pidal as the only daughter of three children. Her two brothers were José María Arroyo, who later became a senator in 1919 and Mariano Arroyo, later elected as the Governor of Ilolo in 1928. She was christened María Beatriz del Rosario at Sta. Ana Church in Molo, Iloilo on February 20, 1884 by Rev. Fr. Agapito Buenaflor. A noteworthy tradition of her family was almsgiving; Rosario thus participated in the corporal works of mercy from an early age. Unspoilt by her affluent upbringing as a member of the aristocracy, she preferred a simple life reportedly donated her inheritance to the congregation upon becoming an heiress.
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| The young María Beatriz del Rosario |
Heeding the Call
When the young María Beatriz moved to Manila to finish her studies at the Beaterio de Santa Catalina, she felt a call to religious life and soon made her religious profession to Dominican Order on January 3, 1914. On the day of her profession, she took the name "Rosario de la Visitacion" in reference to her strong devotion to the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. After which, she taught at the Beaterio in Manila and later in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
In the early years of her religious life, she distinguished herself by a solid love of prayer and a life of poverty in a strict religious observance. By this time, her parents, with the approval of the last American bishop of Jaro, the Most Rev. James McCloskey, D.D., made proper preparations for the foundation of the “Beaterio del Santisimo Rosario” in Molo, Iloilo City.
They received formal permission from the Holy See on July 24, 1925. Mother Rosario, accompanied by two Dominican Sisters from Santa Catalina, were the pioneers of the new foundation on February 18, 1927. A few years later, on March 14, 1933, the Congregation became juridically independent.
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| Madre Sayong on the day of her profession |
During the early years of the Beaterio, like most of the newly founded Beaterios, Madre Sayong faced many trials in administration to address the growing needs of the expanding Beaterio. One of her biggest crosses was during the Second World War when her Beaterio was sequestered by the Japanese forces in 1945 who made it their headquarters and the subsequent bombings of the American forces months after during the period of liberation. Despite these hardships, Madre Sayong remained faithful and trusted in God’s Divine Providence to sustain her Beaterio during those trying times.
When the Beaterio was restored on May 5, 1952, the new constitutions for the Beaterio was finally approved and became the "Congregación Madres Dominicanas Terciarías de Sto. Domingo". During its First General Chapter, Mother Rosario was elected as the First Superior General of the Congregation on January 4, 1953. Some years later, on April 15, 1958, the Diocesan Decree of Erection of the "Madres Dominicanas Terciarías de Santo Domingo" was issued and in 1958, the new Congregation was formally affiliated to the Order of Preachers by the Master General, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Brown, OP.
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| The death of Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitacion |
Four years after her election as the Mother Superior of the Congregation, Madre Sayong or Madre Maestra as she was lovingly called, died in the odor of sanctity on June 14, 1957 at the age of 75 after serving the congregation for 32 years. Her death certificate states that the immediate cause of her demise was hypertension and heart disease and the time of death was at 8:30 pm.
Mother Rosario's last will and testament testified to her heroic observance of the vow of poverty by making the Congregation the sole heir of her inheritance. Her funeral was attended by both ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries and people from all walks of life, particularly the underprivileged, whom she cared and dedicated her entire life.
Mother Rosario was initially buried at the Roman Catholic Cemetery of Molo but on July 23, 1982, a few decades after her death, her remains were transferred to a crypt at the garden of the Molo Dominican Motherhouse. On October 7, 2008, her remains were once again moved from the garden to its final resting place at the chapel of the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Molo.
The Congregation at Present
With the present membership of over 250 sisters, Mother Rosario's congregation runs multiple schools, colleges and retreat houses. Nationally, the Congregation has professed sisters in the archdioceses of Jaro, Capiz, and Manila, as well as the dioceses of Bacolod, Imus, Mati, San José de Antique, and Tagum.
The congregation also has overseas presence in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ngong in Kenya; At the Convitto San Tommaso (Convitto Internazionale San Tommaso d'Aquino) in Rome; the Parish of San Quirico d'Orcia in Valdorcia, Tuscany in the Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino (Italy); and in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Diocese of Honolulu in the United States.
The Cause for Beatification and Canonization
Mother Rosario’s cause for sainthood is currently under process. In the Roman Catholic Church, several miracles are currently being investigated purportedly attributed to her intercession. On July 28, 2009, Most Rev. Angel Lagdameo, DD, Archbishop-Emeritus of Jaro issued an edict declaring that he is initiating the diocesan process for the Cause of the Canonization of the Servant of God Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitacion which was officially opened on the 7th day of October 2009 at the parish church of St. Anne, Molo, Iloilo City.
The Cause of Mother Rosario Arroyo was initiated by the Mother Rosario Arroyo Commission (MRAC) headed by former Superior General, Mother Visitacion Alecto, O.P. Later, Rev. Fr. Samson S. Silloriquez, OAR, was constituted as the Postulator who petitioned Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo to decree the Initial Diocesan Process for the Cause of Mother Rosario’s beatification and canonization.
On June 12, 2019, Pope Francis receives in audience Cardinal Angelo Becciu, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and authorizes the promulgation of decrees regarding eight causes for canonization. One of them was the casue of Mother Rosario Arroyo and all eight were declared Venerable.
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| Venerable Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitación |
Madre Sayong's life can perhaps be best pictured in paradoxes. She may born in one of the most affluent families in the country but chose a life of poverty in imitation of the life of Our Lord and Our Lady; She was gentle by nature but was very strong in the faith; She was almost always in position of authority yet she was ever ready to be of service to others. She personified optimism and unfaltering trust in God’s loving providence. Through her unconditional self-giving, she enriched the lives of others as she wrote in her diary "We should love our neighbors as ourselves without interest."
The legacy of Mother Rosario may be summarized through the following points:
•Her deep love for God;
•strong love for neighbor;
•her exemplary love for the Blessed Virgin Mary through her burning devotion in praying the Rosary which she first learned at the lap of her mother;
•and leadership by example.
The Dominican Sisters of the Holy Rosary who, to this day, lives on her legacy and continues their Foundress' mission.
As we end this article dedicated to the strong-willed foundress, here is the official prayer for the Beatification and Canonization of the Venerable Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitacion, OP:
O most loving and merciful Father, You constantly build up Your Church through Your faithful servants who dedicate themselves to You in love, service and generosity. We thank you, loving Father, for you have shown through Your beloved servant, Venerable Mother Rosario, Your constant love and care in the world by accepting within the Church a religious family whose members dedicate themselves to the education and formation of Your people.
We beg you, loving Father, to raise Venerable Mother Rosario to the glory of the Blessed Ones. May her love and dedication to the work of Your Son, continue to inspire young women and men to serve Christ faithfully. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
(Here you may present your petition to God through the prayers of Mother Rosario)
One Our Father, One Hail Mary and One Glory Be
For petitions granted through the intercession of Venerable Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitacion, please the testimonies at:
Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines
Molo, Iloilo City, the Philippines
337-9820/ 338-0272
References:
Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines (2011), "Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitacion: Foundress", Makinaugalingon Printer and Bookbinder, Molo, Iloilo.
Salvilla, Rex, (2009), "Canonization process for Mother Rosario Arroyo’s sainthood begins", The News Today.
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