SISTER MARIA PETRA PABELLORE CABACTULAN, RVM
June 29, 1912 – June 13, 2007
A metaphor starts this obituary on Sister Petra with the use of an expressive line from the poetry of John Keats: She left this world from the very sigh that silence heaves. Sister Petra may have chosen to live life quietly and unobtrusively and she had also wanted to leave this world peacefully. From the depths of her simple heart emanated the sigh for the Lord her Spouse, and in joy she allowed herself to be enveloped by His compassionate presence.
The paucity of the documentary materials about her in terms of letters and other writings attests to the quiet simplicity and unassuming characteristics of Sister Petra. Her autobiography says very little about herself but she was most happy in giving herself and her time to her mission – whether it be in the classroom, in the kitchen, doing the procurator’s work, in social ministry, and in the dormitory.
Sister Petra was born on June 29, 1912 in Sagay, Camiguin Province. Her parents were Esteban Cabactulan and Electa Pabellore. She had a happy childhood and was one who did not shirk from the rigors of household chores that were part of the routine and discipline in their home. She writes: “My dear mother was my first teacher and she prepared me for my first holy communion when I was in grade three. I continued my cartilla however, under a lady teacher.” Together with a brother and another sister, she was sent to Bohol for their high school education. While her brother and sister attended the public school S. Petra studied in the private school in Tagbilaran run by the Holy Spirit Sisters. It was during her stay with the sisters that she deepened the spirit of prayer. Her awareness of the presence of God in her life had become well-defined. She carried with her this attitude from the time she started teaching in the public school until the outbreak of World War II.
Sister Petra averred that the story of her vocation was as simple as her life. Through the recommendation of some friends for her to teach in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental she was called to join the faculty in the RVM school. She met Sister Ma. Dolores Vega to whom she confided her desire to become a Sister and who after some time told her to write a letter of application to the Superior General. There was no looking back since then: God had called her, extended to her this call after having it in His mind for all eternity. The immense import of this conviction led her through thick and thin in all the years of her religious life. She was the Sister whose strong will coupled by her steadfast faith and trust in the Lord helped her live and respond to the challenges of being a religious. She was the Sister who prayed and spent hours contemplating God’s love and presence. She was the trustful one who believed that “everything is a grace” and derived much consolation and courage from this conviction and experience.
After some time spent in the education ministry – five years in Balingasag, four in Digos, and five in Kinoguitan, Sister Petra’s mission work centered on the dormitories in Cebu – the Immaculate Conception Ladies Hall in Urgello (8 years) and in Sto. Rosario Ladies’ Home in P. del Rosario Street (2 years). She was 78 years of age when she moved in to St. Joseph Home in 1990 and from then on spent her life in prayer and helping others in the various tasks in the community. She demonstrated kindness and generosity to all. She could easily let go of what she has and share it with those who needed it. She was loving and caring to all especially those who were taking care of her.
One trait of Sister that was very evident was independence in her movements. She would not bother the nurses or the caregivers if she could do something without their help e.g wheeling herself out of the room, or looking for something that she sometimes misplaced or left somewhere else. Her tolerance for pain was high, just the utterance of “Ginoo ko!” would escape her lips if something pained her. At night however, when physical discomfort would not make her sleep, she would request a nurse to hum a song while gently patting her back or shoulder. This was the only situation when she allowed herself to be dependent on another to alleviate her pain.
Sister suffered from chronic bronchitis from 1990 up to the time of her death. Degenerative sickness common to the elderly made her life very uncomfortable and in the late stages of osteoarthritis afflicting the cervical spine, insufferably painful to her. When death came at 9:25 in the morning of June 13, Sister Petra was released from the bondage of sickness and suffering. She was 95 years old and 58 years in the religious life. Death came like a friend who had lingered by her bedside and gently took her away to the heavenly Kingdom where there are no more sicknesses and suffering, only incomparable bliss.
ray for us our dear Sister Petra. Now you enjoy the reward that the Lord promised to those who love him. His gifts are now yours to enjoy, gifts that eye has not seen, nor ear has heard, nor senses have comprehended. May the Lord grant you His light and peace.
