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S. MARIA AUREA FRANCISCO LEDONA, RVM
(July 19, 1917 – December 21, 2020)
Sister Maria Aurea was born on July 19, 1917 at Atimonan, Quezon Province to Diosdado Amador Ledona, a Chief of Police for thirty-two years in their town, and Emeteria Castro Francisco. She was only seven months old when her mother got sick and eventually joined the bosom of the heavenly Father. She grew up under the care of her great, great grandmother together with the sisters of her grandfather. She was baptized on August 02, 1917 by Fr. Moises Borbon and received Jesus in the sacrament of Holy Communion in first grade. At 10 years old, she received the sacrament of confirmation from Most Reverend Alfredo Verzosa, D.D.
Sister Aurea’s childhood was characterized by prayer and work. She narrated that at the age of five (5), she would wake up at 4:00 in the morning to pray the “Trisagio.” After which, she and her grandmother would join the Holy Mass. They would pray the Angelus three times a day, and at 8:00 in the evening, they would pray for the souls in purgatory followed by the three parts of the rosary with meditation. She recounted that before prayer begins, she would prepare three pillows for her to kneel on, and she would also use them to sleep on whenever she got tired and sleepy. When this happened, she would be awakened with pinches on her legs. As a young girl, she also attended Sunday school in their Parish, had first Friday devotion, and practiced abstinence from meat on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Her household chores included cleaning their stairs and yard everyday since she was five years old. At an early age, she learned how to use a needle and thread, as well as a sewing machine. She also took care of 15 pigs and 400 chickens and experienced farming during the planting and harvesting time. She was deprived of playing with their neighbors for after school, she was confined to the house for work and prayer with a cousin who was also an orphan and whom she thought was her brother.
She must have brought her industry at home to school for aside from being an honor student in high school, she was also elected as the “Most Ideal Girl.” After high school, she passed the examination that enabled her to teach in the Public School. During summer, she studied at the National University where she finished Elementary Teacher’s Certificate. She taught for five years before the outbreak of war.
Every holy week, priests of the Society of Jesus were invited to Atimonan for confession and other evangelization services. Together with the priests were three to five Sisters of the Beaterio De La Compañia de Jesus of Sta. Lucia, Intramuros. The young Aurea had close contact with the Sisters because she took care of their accommodation. She used to go with them for home visitation, catechism, preparation of the people for confession and communion, and validation of marriages and baptism. Some sisters would stay in the town to read the holy week meditation or “pabasa” from 8:30 to 11:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon to 8:00 in the evening. Aurea learned to love the Sisters and their mission. She wrote that she was in the third grade that her religious vocation started when she heard Mass and saw the Sisters taking the Holy Communion. The call intensified when she was in second year high school.
She communicated with Mother Andrea Montejo, the Superior General then, but the response of the latter and the recommendation of the Parish Priest were taken and kept by her grandmother. It was only after the war when she found it out. These were wrapped in a small American flag inside a small box. Mother Andrea told her to go to Manila, but it took her a long time because her grandfather and relatives were taken and killed by the Japanese. She went to Manila with S. Maria Justina without the blessing of her great grandmother, Lola Pina. She entered the Congregation at the age of 33. She was accepted to postulancy on February 01, 1950, and on August 14, 1950, she entered Noviceship. She made her temporary profession on August 15, 1952, perpetual profession on February 2, 1958, silver jubilee on August 15, 1977 and her golden jubilee on August 15, 2002.
She was already in the convent when she finished her Bachelor’s Degree in 1972 at St. Mary’s College, Quezon City.
S. Maria Aurea was a teacher, a school administrator, and a pastoral worker. She served in the Education Ministry for 24 years and in the Social Ministry for 27 years. She had a very fruitful and edifying mission particularly in Pantabangan Mission Center, San Juan, Maria Aurora where she spent her religious life for twenty (20) years. She was sent to Pantabangan where the Congregation put up a 24-hour clinic through the Social Apostolate Center. She was the only Sister in that mission place for the first eight years. She was assisted by a nurse, a midwife, and a doctor twice a month.
Together with lay catechists and social workers, she catechized and evangelized in six barrio schools where she had to walk three kilometers back and forth every day. She did home visitations to know the people better. She was not only a catechist but also the people’s “priest.” Since the Church was very far and the priests could hardly attend to the people, S. Maria Aurea was given the permission to baptize, to marry couples, to bless houses, vehicles, and animals, to anoint the sick, and to bury the dead. She baptized more than six hundred individuals. She reached out to them in love and care.
She was most loved by the people whom she served because of her being motherly, caring, loving, and compassionate. Her love for truth and justice shone as she worked for the rights of the poor. She was truly a humble servant who enfleshed the exemplary life of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo.
Her secret to a joyful spirit with the poor is LOVE and PRAYER. Truly, she left a mark in the hearts of the people through her utmost love for God and those whom she served and prayed for. Her love and service were remarkable.
While in St. Joseph Home, S. Maria Aurea radiated gentleness, peaceful countenance, and kindness that most of the caregivers and nurses described her as a holy Sister. She would not allow the simple deeds done to her without expressing her gratitude to them. They did not hear her complain of her illness; she bore her sufferings in silence.
A day before her death she said to her caregiver, “Uuwi na ako, I am leaving”. Truly, on December 21, 2020 at 10:38 in the morning, she gently left and went home to God. Her death was caused by acute myocardial infarction.
Thank you so much, S. Maria Aurea, for a life lived to the full. You have given life to Jesus’ words, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I was naked and you gave me clothing; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me” (Mt. 25:34-36).
We are truly grateful to God for the one hundred three years and five months of your holy presence here on earth, sixty-eight (68) years of which as Religious of the Virgin Mary. For certain, you have now inherited the Kingdom prepared for you with Jesus, Mother Mary, Joseph, and Mother Ignacia in your midst. Farewell, S. Maria Aurea. We love you.
Eternal rest grant unto S. Maria Aurea, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
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