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Mother Ignacia soon to become saint


Sun.Star: Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo is two steps away from sainthood. This after Pope Benedict XVI issued a decree promulgating her "heroic virtues." The promulgation was held 9 a.m. Friday at the Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz in Binondo, Manila. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales presided over the promulgation which will officially accord to Mother Ignacia the title "Venerable." Venerable, which recognizes a person's heroic virtue and sanctity, is the first step to sainthood. Blessed is the next step that occurs after at least one miracle is attributed to the intercession of the person being considered while Sainthood is bestowed on a person after a second miracle has occurred that is attributable to the person to whom the petitioners prayed. In 1986, then Manila archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin formally initiated the canonical process for the Beatification of Mother Ignacia. In the said process, the life of holiness of Mother Ignacia must first be established and at least one miracle obtained through her intercession. The case that was presented to the Sacred Congregation was the cure of Victoria Pena Utanes, a diabetic who was suffering from an infection on her left foot. Desperate Utanes went to one of the congregation's sister-healers who prayed over her invoking the intercession of Mother Ignacia. In act of faith, Utanes placed the picture of Mother Ignacia on the infected area and wrapped a bandage over it. When she arrived home and took off the bandage she discovered that the sore was cured. Even her doctors verified that the cure was instantaneous and could not be explained by medical science. In July last year, the Holy Father accepted the recommendations of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and signed the decree recognizing Mother Ignacia's practice of the Christian virtues to a heroic degree. Born in Binondo of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother of modest means in 1663, Mother Ignacia chose a life of prayer, ascetical practices and apostolic service instead of marrying as was expected of her. She supported herself using her skills in sewing, despite the fact that her parents could very well support her. Her life attracted other native women who were not allowed entry to formal convents of religious at that time, which were reserved for those of Spanish descent. Thus began the first institution for religious life among the native women known as RVM. - Sun.Star
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