IN MEMORIAM

S. MARIA ANASTACIA SARITA PADAYAO, RVM

(December 25, 1937 – January 3, 2022 )

S. Maria Anastacia Sarita Padayao was born and baptized on a Christmas day in 1937 (December 25, 1937) at Dumanjog, Cebu. She was the third of ten children of Andres Padayao and Juliana Sarita. From these children, four died in their early age. At seven years old, Anastasia had her first communion at Tigbawe, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte. And in 1954, she received the sacrament of confirmation at Suba-Nipa Olutanga, Zamboanga del Del Sur from Msgr. Luis del Rosario.

She started her primary education at Dinakot, Sindangan and finished at Suba-Nipa, Zamboanga del Sur. After her primary education she stopped schooling for seven years due to financial difficulty and spent time helping her parents in the farm for their sustenance.

She was in her teenage years when she experienced a great desire to enter religious life. She sought help from their parish priest who recommended her to the Dominican Sisters who then advised her to finish first her high school education. She stayed with the Dominican Sisters for a month. Then she transferred to Pilar College to finish her studies as a working student. After one year, she was much disturbed and her desire to enter religious life grew stronger. She expressed how she felt to Mother Maria Primitiva Dimaguya, the Local Superior then. And again, she was advised to finish her high school education which she did. Then, as a Sister, she finished her Bachelor in Education major in Home Economics at the Immaculate Conception College, Davao City.

After she finished her secondary education at Pilar College, she applied and was accepted to postulancy on November 20, 1965. She was invested to noviceship on May 23, 1966 and she pronounced her first profession of vows on May 24, 1968. She perpetually committed her life to God on March 04, 1976. She celebrated with joy in her heart her silver jubilee as an RVM on May 24, 1993 and her golden jubilee on February 02, 2018.

With love and commitment, S. Maria Anastacia dedicated her life in the service of the Church and of the congregation as assistant and local econome, teacher, assistant dietician, canteen / food service in-charge and land development in-charge. She was assigned in the following communities: Fatima and Bajada, Davao City; Regional House in Singalong, Manila (7 years); Davao City and Cebu City; Sto. Rosario Ladies’ Hall, Cebu City; Betania Retreat House, Pansol; RVM Farm, Iponan and Mother Ignacia Healing Center, Bagumbong. She was at St. Michael’s College, Iligan City for twelve (12) years from 1972-1975, 1996-2001 and 2003-2007.

Due to her health condition, she was transferred to the RVM Motherhouse in 2016 and after four years, to the St. Joseph Home for close monitoring until January 2022.

S. Maria Anastacia joined the bosom of the Father on the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus on January 03, 2022 at 5:00 in the morning as she succumbed to breast cancer. She was eighty-five years old and fifty-four years as Religious of the Virgin Mary.

Thank you, S. Maria Anastacia, for the life of witness you showed to your Sisters and to those whom you worked with. Your devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was given flesh in your compassionate and merciful heart. Your generosity and friendliness to both young and old were noteworthy. You lived the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience in your day-to-day yes to your religious vocation. Your simplicity of life, contentment with what you have, sense of responsibility, self-sacrificing and joyful spirit left a mark in the hearts of many.

May Jesus, our Savior, bring you to the eternal home of the Father where there is fullness of love, peace, and joy. May our Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, all the Saints and angels in heaven welcome you with great joy.

Farewell, our dear S. Maria Anastacia. We assure you of our love and prayers. Continue to pray for us, as well, in our journey through life. Rest now in eternal peace.

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

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. 

Amen.