Great-grandaunt of Mike Arroyo moves closer to sainthood

A great grandaunt of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo moved one step closer to sainthood as the process of her canonization is now in Rome. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on Friday the cause for the canonization of Mother Rosario Pidal Arroyo had completed the diocesan inquiry. Mike Arroyo is the husband of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. “After the appointment of the members of the commission who will look into the documents, a formal inquiry will be made and they will ask the postulator later for his positio," said Sr. Ma. Visitacion, head of the archdiocesan commission on Mother Rosario’s cause of canonization. In an article posted on the CBCP news site on Friday, Visitacion said they have already sent all the documents on Mother Arroyo (February 17, 1884-January 14, 1957) to their postulator Fr. Samson Silloriquez in Rome. Mother Rosario is the foundress of the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary in Iloilo's Molo district. “She and two others, all perpetually professed members from the Beaterio de Santa Catalina, at the request of Bishop McCloskey, established the new Dominican congregation in Iloilo City," Visitacion said. Visitacion said Mother Rosario was noted for her charity to the poor, the needy and the sick. “She lived a life of poverty, simplicity and her prayerful life and devotion to the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary," Visitacion said. Dominican nuns On July 24, 1925, Bishop James McCloskey, then Bishop of Jaro, was given permission by the Holy See to establish a foundation of the Dominican nuns in the diocese on July 24, 1925. The Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena allowed Mother Rosario Arroyo and two other Sisters to start the foundation. The CBCP article said Mother Rosario’s parents — the late Don Ignacio Arroyo and Dona Maria Pidal Arroyo — were both noted for their piety and gave part of their wealth to finance the foundation of the new congregation. Mother Rosario had two brothers, the eldest was Senator Jose Pidal Arroyo while the youngest was a doctor of Medicine, Mariano Pidal Arroyo. Both finished their studies at Colegio de San Juan de Letran while Mother Rosario finished her Education course at Colegio de Santa Catalina, also in Intramuros. She was 27 years old and a teacher before she entered the religious life. Diocesan inquiry The CBCP said the Jaro archdiocese in Iloilo had closed the diocesan process for her canonization as early as January 3 this year. According to the CBCP, the diocesan inquiry is just the initial step of a "long and painstaking process" before a person of heroic virtues can be proclaimed blessed and eventually a saint. Visitacion said they will look into Mo. Rosario’s heroic acts and virtues before they give her the title “Venerable." Once proclaimed Venerable, a miracle attributed through the intercession of Mother Rosario would have to be recognized by the Church before she can be beatified. Another miracle would again be required for her to be proclaimed a saint. - VVP, GMA News