IN MEMORIAM

S.  MARIA ALICIA RATUNIL AMARGA, RVM 

(September 27, 1931 – January 20, 2021)

S. Maria Alicia Ratunil Amarga who hailed from Initao, Misamis Oriental was the eleventh of thirteen children of Antonio Amarga and Isabel Ratunil. Out of the thirteen only seven survived, two boys and five girls. Alicia was baptized on December 03, 1931, on the feast of St. Francis Xavier, the patron Saint of their town, and was confirmed on March 04, 1948.

The young Alicia and her siblings were brought up in a family where love and fear of the Lord were emphasized. They grew up with parents who were prayerful, responsible, hard working, conscientious of their roles even though her father was only eighteen years old and her mother was only thirteen years of age when they were united in the sacrament of matrimony.

Christian education was ingrained on her young mind and heart by Fr. John Keney of the Society of Jesus, the Director of Xavier High School, Initao, Misamis Oriental.

The young Alicia finished her primary and intermediate education at Initao Central School in 1941. She completed her high school education at Xavier High School, Initao where she greatly involved herself in giving catechism to elementary students in the public schools. She finished Bachelor of Science in Home Economics at Lourdes College in 1956. She was grateful to her parents because she and most of her siblings were able to finish college education because of their industry, encouragement and concern for their future.

After college, she taught at Xavier High School for a year. Her parents wanted her to pursue Elementary Education for her to teach in the public school. However, Alicia was not agreeable with the former’s desire for her because she had a plan to enter religious life. With the guidance of Fr. Alexandro Mejia who told her to pursue her dream, she communicated with the Belgian Sisters and the Religious of the Virgin Mary. Without the knowledge of her family, she left home to see the Superior of one of the RVM schools, St. Michael’s College, Iligan. Since then, she was continually followed-up by the Local Superior, until she was brought to the RVM Motherhouse in 1959.

She was accepted to postulancy on July 31, 1959. She entered noviceship on February 01, 1960, made her temporary profession on February 02, 1962 and took her perpetual profession on February 02, 1968. She celebrated with jubilation her Silver Jubilee on February 11, 1987 and Golden Jubilee on February 02, 2012.

S. Maria Alicia took to heart her formation experiences, the study of the Constitutions and matters pertaining to the vows and virtues, spiritual exercises, and prayers. She had her 3S as her secret for personal sanctification – suffering, smile and silence. There were moments in her life that she acknowledged her failure to behave well as Religious of the Virgin Mary. However, with the help of the spiritual exercises, formation updates, talks and other religious activities, her commitment to be faithful to her vocation as religious was renewed.

She served the Church and the Congregation as a Christian Living Teacher from 1962 to 1988. She was sent to mission in Ghana, West Africa in 1989 until 1995 as Administrator and Econome in a Vocational School and in the later years, she helped in the formation house in Kumasi. On her return to the Philippines, she was again sent to the Education Ministry as Local Econome, Christian Living, Mother Ignacia Club and Vocation Coordinator, School Canteen In-charge and the last six (6) years of her active life were spent in the Dormitory Ministry. In 2013, she was transferred to St. Joseph Home for closer monitoring of her physical health condition.

S. Maria Alicia strongly believed that God was always in control of her life as regards to her assignment and confirmed that obedience works miracles. She always tried to see things and events from the eyes of God. She had a child-like confidence in her Superiors. She was prompt in carrying their requests and accepted corrections willingly with joy. She was hard- working, resourceful, self-sacrificing, diligent in the duty assigned to her and a good disciplinarian. She loved cooking and sewing. She also loved to be with people and children, friendly and wholesome in her dealing with others except for the times that she exhibited moodiness and impoliteness in words towards her subordinates.

With her stay at St. Joseph Home for eight (8) years she manifested kindness, understanding, compassion and utmost consideration towards those who were attending to her needs. Her smile reflected joy and radiated warmth to them when she noticed them busy and weary amidst the demands of their responsibilities.

On January 20, 2021 at 4:15 in the morning, S. Maria Alicia peacefully went back to God, her loving Creator. Acute myocardial infarction was the cause of her death.

Thank you so much, S. Maria Alicia, for the eighty-nine years of fruitful life and fifty- eight years of which as Religious of the Virgin Mary. Thank you for the 3S you evidently showed in your life:

Suffering with endurance and openness to the grace of God

Smile that radiated Ignacian Marian welcome to those whom you come in contact with,

Silence that exuded prayerfulness, inner directedness and gratefulness for the hand of God in your life’s journey.

Thank you for having faithfully lived your religious vows. May Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, St. Francis Xavier and Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo welcome you in heaven with a smile on their faces. Please bring to our compassionate Father and to all the Saints in heaven all our prayers in this time of pandemic and uncertainty. Our prayers go with you, as well. Farewell and rest in peace, our dear S, Alice. We love you!

Eternal rest grant unto S. Maria Alicia, O Lord, 

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. 

Amen.