CAUSE OF MOTHER IGNACIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO
SHINES DISTINCTLY ON THE HORIZON

The celebration of the 257 th death anniversary of the Servant of God, Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, brought with it a hope that lifted up the spirit of those who look forward to her beatification.

Reverend Msgr. Josefino S. Ramirez, HP delivered a homily at the Eucharistic Celebration on 10 September 2005. He rekindled the fire of love and hope to his listeners

who were mostly RVM Sisters who love to be called the daughters of Mother Ignacia. Quoting what His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin. DD, of happy memory, in one of their conversations, he declared: "Never mind if we do not have it in our life-time, when I'll make it to heaven I will pray and make it possible to happen." These words foreshadow the prodigious realization of what we are earnestly praying for.

Furthermore Msgr. Ramirez has a strong feeling upon seeing the big picture of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at the billboard in the street leading to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception as prophesying, thus: "Tell the Sisters that it will be soon because I cannot refuse Cardinal Sin. We are good friends."

Indeed Cardinal Sin is a "great lover of Mother Ignacia. He pioneered her Cause and did everything he could…" In faith Msgr. Ramirez was very explicit in telling that "we do not presume to do what we want. We always rely on the will of God…in God's own time. It is only God our Father who knows what is good for us His children." Thenhe quoted our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI as saying: "I will focus my Pontificate on the Eucharist and Mary. This is my program of the papacy."

In this connection Msgr. Ramirez brought to the fore what he believes is true to the person of Mother Ignacia in these words: "And we all know that as we celebrate the Eucharist with Mary, Mother Ignacia, no doubt is one of the Eucharistic saints and a great lover of Mary. She died after receiving Jesus in the communion rail, a privilege not given to everyone. Usually when someone dies it's on the bed. But to die at the communion rail must be a sign of predilection for Mother Ignacia."

Intensifying his keen conviction on Mother Ignacia, Msgr. Ramirez asserted:

" We have a great saint in the person of Mother Ignacia. And do

you believe that she is more relevant now during this Eucharistic

Marian year than ever before? Now that our country is in crisis,

the politicians are divided, even the bishops are divided, everybody

is divided, we do not know what will happen to us. But we know

that we have a great intercessor up there in heaven and together

with Cardinal Sin, I think, the will of God is bound to happen."

 In concluding his homily, Msgr Ramirez used the words of St. Teresa of the Missionary
Sisters of Charity, with the hope that the RVM Sisters will take them as coming from Mother Ignacia, thus:

"Celebrate always the Eucharist with Mary. Offer the Eucharist in

honor of Mary and above all, receive the Eucharist like Mary.

Celebrate the Eucharist means all Her life. Mary was celebrating

God's love. Her life was a song of joy. Her life was a life of FIAT

from the beginning until the end . Celebrate the Mass and receive

Jesus like Mary for truly it is the surest way to Jesus. Mary is the

shortcut to Her son, Jesus."

MIM CHAPTERS SPONSOR CONFERENCES ON
MOTHER IGNACIA DEL ESPIRITU SANTO

  To celebrate the 257 th death anniversary of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo , on September 10, 2005, the members of the Mother Ignacia Movement in the East Coast of U.S.A. gathered in three different venues. Sister Ma. Mansueta Dololas, RVM was the prime mover of the scheduled activities and Sr. Ma. Rita C. Ferraris, RVM was the guest speaker who came a long way from the Philippines in response to the invitation extended to her.

First of the series was held on September 4 in Boston, Massachusetts where the Mother Ignacia Movement was launched in the year 2000. The second was on September 10 which was held in New Jersey and the third was on September 11 in New York City where the Mother Ignacia Movement was launched in 1999.

Sister Rita delivered her talks in an approach that led her listeners on a journey in faith with Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo. The topics presented were so arranged that the participants could follow the trend of thought from 1684 up to our contemporary times.

As a historian and archivist by profession, Sr. Rita piloted the group towards knowing Mother Ignacia as a person and how she lived her life as a Servant of God. From one topic to the next, Sr. Rita was able to hold her listeners in rapt attention as a captive audience. The original interest they had from the time of the launching of the Mother Ignacia Movement, was rekindled with the fire of enthusiasm . The feedback gathered from them was encouraging to the organizers of the activity. They were motivated and

were spurred on to resolve in making Mother Ignacia known by other people in order to promote her cause for beatification.

Indeed there is no substitute for sharing with one another on what to do in order to make themselves active members of the Movement, and active promoters of Mother Ignacia's beatification and eventual canonization.