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Homily for the 345 th Baptismal Anniversary of
Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo
March 2, 2008 - Intramuros, Manila
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A Woman from the Margins

‘Probinsiyanong Intsik’

“Probinsiyanong Intsik” is a phrase which has become controversially famous in politics and media today. This is the phrase which Jun Lozada used to describe himself in order to bring out that he is almost nobody and that the games of power is not his cup of tea. It has become so controversial that Sergio Apostol quipped: “Intsik pala siya eh! Dapat siya na-deport na; nangugulo lang siya dito.” This racist reaction is reminiscent of the scorn with which Filipino society has always viewed our Chinese sisters and brothers. But this is not a new thing. As early as 1662, when Mother Ignacia was still in her mother’s womb, the Governor General then wanted to expel all the Chinese for the threat that they posed the dominant powers during that time.

Margins as Location

I remember this since the woman whose baptism we celebrate two days from now is also a Chinese mestiza like Lozada. She might not be a ‘probinsiyana’ (she is a city girl, if you like) but her location in colonial Manila is as marginalized, if not worse.

First, Binondo where the Chinese Christians were forced to reside was not part of the city then. It was ‘extramuros’ as against those who were in the ‘intramuros’ (the place where the affluent and powerful Spaniards resided). In playful Cebuano, the Spaniards resided in the ‘village’ (or subdivision) while the Chinese live in the ‘kilids’ (margins). To live in the ‘kilids’ is already derogatory in itself. But that is not all. The Chinese were not only looked down, they were also subjected to forced labor. We have known that the Chinese in both Parian and Binondo were forced to work in the building of the Intramuros walls. They also serves as galley slaves to row the boats of Spanish expeditions to the Molucca Islands ( Indonesia). According to some historians, there were around 100,000 Chinese who were massacred by the Spanish regime for mounting rebellious uprisings. But in the land characterized by oppression, rebellions are not a remote possibility. So, in order to prevent this, the Chinese were ‘hamletted’ in Binondo – far enough to maintain cultural distance but near enough for political control (it is just a cannon strike away in case the Chinese think of another rebellion). This is the location of the brave woman called Mother Ignacia: the margins, ‘taga-kilids’. And like the dwellers of Payatas today, the name itself is already a ‘stigma’ (“Ay, taga Payatas ka pala!” Nakakatakot doon, di ba? Mabaho pa!).

Second, it is true that Mother Ignacia transferred to Intramuros when she decided to dedicate her life to God. She might be in the center now. But the role of a native woman religious at that time was far from desirable. The beatas were generally looked down by the all-male clergy. But Mother Ignacia was not just a woman; she was also an ‘yndia’ which was also mistrusted by the Spaniards, especially in their seeming inability and unworthiness to live the religious life. It must have been quite painful to feel that one does not really belong nor is fully accepted by the Church that one wanted to die for. Aside from that, the beatas also had to beg always as they were not recipients of the Patronato Real subsidies – a consequence of having no formal place in the ecclesiastical structures. Like the people of Payatas today, one consequence to be in the margins is not to have access to resources from the center. (Free concerts or product promotions are available in Eastwood or Rockwell but never in Payatas, except during elections! I am not yet talking of basic food, water, housing and electricity.)

Margins as Choice

But this location did not hinder Mother Ignacia. In fact, she voluntarily opted for the life at the margins. She left a secure life with her family with nothing – except a needle and a pair of scissors! That is not much. I challenge anyone here today to live with it alone. But what she wanted to show us was this: that the life she envisions for this community is a life of work; that we do not just sit down, pray and then eat, go to siesta and then eat again, and before sleeping eat once more. Maybe she wanted to say that if we have to eat, if we want to let others eat, we ourselves need to work.

I know of a new congregation who serve violated women today. There are just less than 20 of them in the community. They have no resources to really on – for themselves and for the women they take care of. I saw one of them selling chichirias, pastillas and whatever in the sidewalks. I asked: why was she doing that? She said it was for the next meal of the women in their center. It must have been the experience of the first RVMs. (Or, maybe also the first CMs too!) Today, we can ask how many of us can do that: to sell pastillas to earn for the next meal of the people under our care? This has become a painful challenge to established congregations like ours. I do not propose to go back to begging as our first sisters did. I just want to point out that we have come a long way from the times of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo.

God in the Margins

The sketch I have made of the social location and option of Mother Ignacia is founded on a strong faith and conviction: that God resides in the margins. Jesus was not only a marginal Jew; he also offered his life for the margins. This is message of the Gospel today. To be blind in the Jewish society is to be at the margins. For while the rest of the world rushes, they remain at the sides – just waiting for some generous hands to hand them a penny. Just go to the Quiapo underpass and you will know what I mean! Yet Jesus spent most of his days with these people – curing them, liberating them. It was not easy for Jesus as for the blind man. Disbelief, intrigues, doubts marred the credibility of both. I guess that was the same for Mother Ignacia from the time she chose not to marry to the time that she started her unique religious community. I can only imagine what ‘tsismis’ were circulating when young ‘yndias’ started to walk around the streets of Intramuros in their religious habits at a time when only peninsualres and insulares have such right.

How did the daughters of Ignacia – the RVMs – fare with this founding and originary experience? Where are we vis-à-vis the margins? People have their own answers but I can only cite my personal experience. In the late 1940s to the early 1950s when there was yet no trace of electricity in the whole south of Cebu; when there was only one bus each day that ply this 120-km route; when the only school building available for classes was the rugged ground floor of the old parish convent; when all the religious were crowding Cebu City, the RVMs chose this marginal town called Oslob to start St. Mary’s Academy. Several generations of sisters – many of them have already died – dedicated the prime of there lives in this unknown place. One of them is still present here today: Sr. Diosdada Loquellano. I can only imagine the troubles and difficulties they have experienced but they stayed on. They remained and are still there. Yet these marginal beginnings have already produced a bishop, almost all the priests and religious, and many successful professionals that Oslob can be proud of today. God must have been in the margins; and the daughters of Mother Ignacia opted to find Him there. To these founding sisters, I owe my personal gratitude. For without them, I could not be standing here in front of you today.

On this 345 th year of her baptism, I invite you to ask ourselves again the following question: “Where are we vis-à-vis the margins? Have we opted to find God there?”

To daily confront our communities, our ministries, our structures and our personal lifestyles with these questions would lead to serious and revolutionary consequences. Are we ready for it?

Daniel Franklin Pilario, C.M.
Dean, St. Vincent School of Theology
221 Tandang Sora Ave. , Quezon City, Philippines
danielfranklinpilario@yahoo.com