Francisca del Espiritu Santo Fuentes
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| Servant of God Francisca del Espiritu Santo Fuentes | |
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| founder, Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena | |
| Born | 1647, Manila, Philippines  |
| Died | 24 August 1711, Intramuros, Manila, Philippines |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | 24 August |
| Patronage | Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena. |
 Saints Portal |
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Mother Francisca Fuentes del Espiritu Santo (1647-1711) is a Spanish-Filipino Roman Catholic figure. She is the first Prioress of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena in the Philippines. Beatification Process currently underway with protocol number:2533.
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[edit] Life
Francisca de Fuentes was born in the City of Manila, in 1647, to Don Simon de Fuentes, a Spaniard, and Doña Ana Maria del Castillo y Tamayo, a Spanish mestiza . Francisca then dedicated her time to prayer and social service helping many poor and sick in the city. She envisioned herself to be close to St. Francis and St. Dominic. Because of this, she chose to be a Dominican, being admitted as a tertiary in 1682, selecting the name “ Francisca del Espiritu Santo”.
[edit] As a Sister Prioress
The Beaterio de Sta. Catalina was founded by Fr. Juan de Sto. Domingo, O.P. of Spain on July 26, 1696 and Mother Francisca was appointed 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.
[edit] Conflict over the installation of a Beaterio
Then Manila Archbishop, Don Diego Camacho, wanted the Beaterio under his jurisdiction, and 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, 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 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 Convent School for Spanish girls, “mestizas” and natives, instructing them in the (4) four R’s: Religion, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic with Music, Embroidery, Flower Making, etc.
[edit] Death
On August 24, 1711, she was died, leaving behind her the Beaterio de Santa Catalina de Siena which lives vigorously as ever up to this day as the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de Siena
[edit] Beatification Process
On March 11, 2003, She was elevated to be a Servant of God after giving upon the go-signal "Nulla osta" with protocol number:2533.
[edit] Reference
[edit] Other Current and Possible Filipino Saints
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| Filipino Saints, Blesseds and Servants of God |
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| Saint/s: Lorenzo Ruiz Blessed/s: Pedro Calungsod Venerable/s: Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez | Ignacia del Espíritu Santo Servant/s of God: Dionisia De Santa Maria Mitas Talangpaz | Cecilia Rosa De Jesus Talangpaz | William Finnemann | Alfredo Maria Aranda Obviar | Joaquina Maria Mercedes Barcelo Pages | Francisca del Espiritu Santo Fuentes | Aloysius Schwartz | Eugenio Sanz-Orozco Mortera | Iustus Takayama Ukon | Jerónima de la Asunción | Maria Beatriz Del Rosario Arroyo |
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