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S. MARIA ENGRACIA DOSPUEBLOS MIRANDA, RVM
(November 3, 1918 – September 20, 2016)
A life lived to the full;
A life filled with the purest love of God;
A life sheltered by faith in her heart:
“I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.”
Philippians 4:13
This is the life of S. Maria Engracia who was born on November 3, 1918 to Angel Miranda and Ambrocia Dospueblos at Loon, Bohol. She was the eldest child of eight boys and six girls. She was baptized on November 17, 1918 and confirmed on February 26, 1920. She learned the Catholic doctrine from her old pious teacher who would gather them under a kiosk. She completed her elementary education at Loon Central Elementary School. During which, according to her, she was always scolded for going home late, for she was very athletic and she just loved playing soft ball and volleyball which delayed her from going home on time.
When S. Maria Engracia completed her elementary years, she wanted to enter the convent but she was told that she needed to finish high school first. It was difficult on her part since there were no high school institutions near her place. As a consequence, she stopped schooling and used her time instead in doing household chores. Living in a house by the seashore she helped in selling fish which her father caught. She also sold kakanin to help in the daily sustenance of the family. She learned sewing which eventually led her to open a dress shop. However, the shop yielded no profit because she offered its service for free to her relatives.
Many years later, S. Maria Engracia had the chance to stay with her Aunt in Tagbilaran, Bohol. She helped her aunt in the household chores while taking up her high school education. Her love for softball, volleyball and other calisthenics activities continued. When the war broke out, in 1941, she volunteered as part of the Women Auxiliary Service. She experienced begging for food, medicines and clothes for the Filipino soldiers. She also went retailing and bartering goods to help her family live.
She continued her studies and obtained Elementary Teachers’ Certificate at the Immaculate Conception College in Davao City. She worked and saved her earnings to be able to send her siblings to school. When her younger brother graduated, she decided to leave the family for the convent. With the guidance of Mother Maria Ignacia Magdalena, S. Maria Engracia decided to live a religious life. Reverend Mother Maria Andrea Montejo accepted her to the RVM Congregation.
S. Maria Engracia entered postulancy on August 14, 1953 at the Immaculate Conception College, Davao City. She was accepted to Noviceship on February 1, 1954 and had her temporary profession on February 2, 1956. She made her perpetual profession February 2, 1962. She celebrated her silver jubilee on February 2, 1981 and golden jubilee in 2006.
Most of her mission assignments were in Mindanao: in Our Lady’s Academy, Baganga, Davao Oriental, Immaculate Conception, Davao City, Notre Dame of Kidapawan, North Cotabato, Holy Family Academy, Caraga, Davao Oriental, St. Mary’s College, Tagum, Maryknoll High School, Maniki, Capalong, Davao del Norte, Notre Dame of Makilala, Mount Carmel School, Talisayan, Father Urios High School, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur, and Holy Child High School, Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental. She was transferred to the Mother House in 1992. After two years, she was assigned at St. Joseph Home until she breathed her last.
S. Maria Engracia had a rich life journey. One unforgettable experience she had happened on January 28, 1978. She was assigned in Makilala, North Cotabato where both the school building and the Sister’s convent were razed by fire. All that she had was the Blessed Sacrament and the students’ book of accounts. The incident taught her detachment and trust in the God of providence. It assured her more of the loving God who never abandons His people. And so she continued to grow assured of the loving protection of God and of His promise that He will be with her till the end of time. This held S. Maria Engracia through all the mission places she was assigned to especially where poverty was most evident.
S. Maria Engracia served the Church through the Congregation as a teacher, Christian Living and Mother Ignacia Club Moderator, sacristana and local econome. She strived to give her best in every work entrusted to her and she remained grateful for all that came to pass. She used to write the past General Superiors to express her gratitude for all the blessings she received like birthday presents, spiritual and physical growth opportunities, vacation and her experiences in the mission. She was observed as gracious, accommodating, concerned, dynamic, zealous, self-sacrificing and humble. She always kept herself involved. In her journal, she honestly admitted her imperfections and infidelities and humbly recognized the faithfulness of God in her life.
For twenty two years of quiet and prayerful life in St. Joseph Home, S. Maria Engracia patiently bore her pains with the sufferings of Christ. In the silence of September 20, 2016 at 10:25 in the morning she breathed her last due to congestive heart failure.
Thank you S. Maria Engracia for the gift of your person. You have faithfully blessed the Congregation by your person for 60 years as Religious of the Virgin Mary. Since the beginning, your life revolved around the spirit of poverty and surrender to the will of God; in the spirit of nothingness and trust in the abundance of God. We bid you farewell our dear S. Maria Engracia. Now, you have a full grasp of the prayer of your heart “O Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you know me when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know the whole of it. My soul also you knew full well" (Psalm 139: 1 ff.).
Eternal rest grant unto S. Maria Engracia, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
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