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S. MARIA ANTONIA BAGAIPO SALDARIEGA, RVM
(August 6, 1927 – March 14, 2019)
S. Maria Antonia Saldariega who hailed from Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte was the ninth of eleven children of Aniceto Saldariega and Mercedes Bagaipo. Five of her siblings died in infancy. Her parents were devout Catholics. Her father, a simple and hardworking farmer, amidst busyness, would see to it that the family would gather in the city on Saturday afternoon for the Holy Mass the following day at the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish. Her mother would usually wake them up early morning to pray the Rosary or “Trisagio”.
On August 13, 1927, a week after her birth, she received the sacrament of baptism officiated by Fr. Alberto Masoliver , SJ. On May 17, 1930, she was marked by the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation. She recalled that because of her excitement to meet Jesus, she received the holy communion before her first communion. She claimed to have heard the Lord whispered to him saying “come and see.” Her sister, who was her companion at Mass that time told their mother about it and having been made aware of the sin she committed, she would not stop crying no matter how her mother consoled her. She was only appeased when she was brought to a priest for confession.
She completed her elementary education in a public school near their home. She was in high school when her mother brought her to Hagonoy, Bulacan to help her elder sister take care of her children. She was supposed to complete her studies there but unfortunately, the war broke out. She used this time to be in silence and be with herself. In solitude, she mused on her future plans and one of those was to enter religious life.
After the war, she graduated from high school in Zamboanga Provincial High School. Then, she took ETC course at St. Vincent’s, Dipolog so that she can teach. She studied at night and taught at St. Mary’s Academy, Dipolog during the daytime. Her association with the RVM Sisters started.
She was in third year college when she decided to enter religious life, but she could hardly ask for the blessing of her parents because of the pain of separation. It was M. Maria Guadalupe Narvacan who asked permission from her parents to let the young Antonia respond to the call of God. Her parents shed tears but she was already determined to leave for the convent. She left for Manila with M. Maria Josefa Regino and Lily Saile, now S. Maria Auxilium Siale.
She was accepted to postulancy on May 23, 1951. She recounted one funny experience in postulancy. In one of their chapter classes, her attention was called because she works and walks very fast. Because of this experience, she resolved never to work and walk fast again. One day, she was carrying wood for fire and was moving and walking slowly as she promised to herself when an elderly Sister saw her. She was given “puto” with the thought that she was walking slowly because she was feeling weak out of hunger. She received the “puto” with a smile on her face. She entered noviceship on November 21, 1951. She pronounced her temporary profession on November 21, 1953 and her final vows on November 21, 1959. She celebrated with delight her silver jubilee on November 21, 1978 and golden jubilee on August 15, 2003.
She spent her missionary endeavors for twenty five years in the schools of Iligan City and Zamboanga del Norte, eleven (11) years in Southern Mindanao Region and sixteen (16) years in the Region of Visayas where she served in the retreat and dormitory ministries.
After her active mission in education, retreat and dormitory ministries, she was assigned to the Regional House, Cebu City. She was so inspired by the life of Mother Mary as a simple housekeeper. For S. Maria Antonia, it was a great privilege to be assigned as a housekeeper. She deeply desired that she may have a shadow of Mary’s attributes. She then committed to do ordinary things in extraordinary ways with much love and fervor. True enough, S. Maria Antonia was lovingly remembered by the Sisters who visited and stayed at the Regional House for her Ignacian-Marian hospitality, life-giving, loving, and gentle presence. The Sisters would easily feel at home with her kind-hearted presence.
Due to her health condition, she was brought to St. Joseph Home on June 6, 2006. On this same day, she wrote “Only God knows when my life will end, but since I arrived at St. Joseph’s Home at midnight, I believe I will wake up one morning in my eternal home, meeting my loving Father who has chosen me eternally, has adopted me lovingly and has forgiven me mercifully.”
She resided at the St .Joseph Home since 2006 until 2019 where she continued radiating joy by singing songs of praise. Her life reflected prayerfulness, peace and contentment. Those who serve her at St. Joseph Home noted her remarkable thoughtfulness. They would go to her whenever she called for them only to be surprised recipients of her acts of comfort and consoling words. She would gently rub their back especially when she observed them tired and drained. Her humility was also evident whenever she asked for forgiveness from them. She would say sorry when she inflicted pain upon them due to her impatience.
She gratefully acknowledged that throughout her journey, God has carried her on eagle’s wings and has cared for her all her life. Her great love for singing made her soul attuned to God’s presence in her life. In fact during her last days, despite being hooked to an NGT she was worried about not being able to sing. She was really fond of singing. One of the Sisters, very recently recounted that at one point in her life while she searched for God’s signs, S. Antonia used to sing to her the lines “Kung naririnig ko and naririnig mo ay parang naririning mo rin and naririnig ko.”
Her heart’s desire thirteen years ago has now come to a reality. Because of cardiac failure due to arrhythmia, she woke up early morning of March 14, 2019, treading her way to her eternal home with the loving embrace of the merciful and forgiving Father.
Thank you very much, S. Ton, for having lived life for ninety-one years (91) and sixty-five (65) of which as Religious of the Virgin Mary.
May Jesus carry you on eagle’s wings as you enter eternity. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, St. Joseph and Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo welcome you with great jubilation. May the heavenly choir accompany you in singing “My Heart’s Thanksgiving,” the song you loved to sing and hum until your deathbed.
We thank you our dear, S. Ton, for filling up the musical lines of our lives with the melody of your cheerfulness, calmness, goodness, and love. Farewell, S. Ton.
Eternal rest grant unto S. Maria Antonia, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
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