Dominican Filipino nun’s cause for sainthood advances

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Photo grabbed from Jarvis Sy's Facebook account.

A DOMINICAN nun may soon become the first Filipina saint.

Pope Francis has advanced Sr. Maria Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo, O.P. ‘s cause for sainthood through a decree by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints yesterday, June 12.

This came after the Vatican recognized her “heroic virtues,” which elevated her status from “Servant of God” to “Venerable.”

Born on Feb. 17, 1884, Arroyo hailed from Molo in Iloilo City. She entered religious life by joining the Beaterio de Santa Catalina in Manila (later Santa Catalina College) and making her profession on Jan. 3, 1914.

She extended the Dominicans’ presence to Iloilo City by establishing the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines in 1925.

The congregation now has 264 professed members and administers schools in Western Visayas, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental, as well as in the Marianas Islands, Hawaii and California in the United States.

Arroyo, also known as “Madre Sayong,” died of heart failure on June 14, 1957.

In 2009, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo opened the diocesan process for the cause of her canonization.

Candidates for sainthood require two miracles attributed to their intercession. On the approval of the authenticity of the first miracle, he or she is beatified or named “Blessed.” Canonization requires a second miracle.

The Philippines has two saints — Pedro Calungsod, canonized in 2013, and Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, a Dominican layman, canonized in 1987.

St. Lorenzo’s Positio Super Introductione Causae or cause was written by the late UST historian Fr. Fidel Villarroel, O.P.

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