IN MEMORIAM

S. MARIA ESTELA CIPRES REGIS, RVM

(December 27, 1925 – July 19, 2018)

S. Maria Estela Cipres Regis, born on December 27, 1925, is the second of the two children of Higino Regis and Estefania Cipres, both of Cogon, Palo, Leyte. She was fondly called Marie by her mother and Marianita by her grandparents. She received the sacrament of Baptism on January 02, 1926 with her baptismal name “Maria” and was confirmed on August 06, 1926, on the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, the patron of her hometown. Marie’s mother, apparently, no longer wanted to have another child because of her near-death experience with the first child. Hence, giving birth for a second time, was indeed a blessing to the couple. In grateful hearts, they offered baby Marie to God.

Marie and Mariano, her elder brother, grew up in a religious family. They used to wake up at the break of dawn to pray the “Tresagio.” The young children would easily feel sleepy during prayer then and would throw pillows at each other to keep awake. The siblings were taught to spend Sundays as strictly the Lord’s Day that they were discouraged to do other works aside from Eucharistic celebration and prayer. They received the basic catechism from their parents with the assistance of catechists whom they called “Maestra Canday” and “Mana Osyang.” Love and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was inculcated in their young minds and hearts especially by their mother who was very particular of piety, good manners and right conduct.

They spent their childhood at their rice field, which their parents were cultivating. They also resided near the sea where their father invested on fish corral. They enjoyed and loved the wonderful nature around them and the nurturance they were receiving from their parents. It did not last long though, for when Maria or young Estela was barely nine (9) years old, her father died, and ten years later her mother also joined the bosom of God the Father. It was her aunt who supported her in her studies.

As she recalled her vocation story, she wrote that she was about five or six years old when her father told her that “you are the fruit of our prayer and that means we will give you to God.” She did not understand it yet. One day, she heard her parents talking about her. Her mother asked her father, “To whom shall we leave Estela if God will take us?” Her father replied by saying that Estela will be with her aunt, S. Rosario Regis, a Franciscan Sister. She wondered with the remark of her parents, because in her tender age, becoming a religious did not enter her thoughts.

It was in her elementary grade at the Leyte Central Academy, now St. Mary’s Academy of Palo, that she was included in a play, where she and some of her classmates donned the religious habit. That began the many years that she nurtured God’s call. Every time she would see Sisters, any Sister, she would call them Sisters of Mercy. And on her third year in high school, during her retreat, her vocation to religious life was made clear, being inspired by the edifying life of her spiritual director.

Growing up, there were men who offered marriage to her but she held on to her vocation and sought the guidance of God. She was firm with her intention to follow God in religious life, even more so, when she realized in utmost gratitude on how God protected her and her family during the war. She then decided to become a Sister of Mercy through the RVM way of life.

She entered postulancy on August 14, 1950 in Dalaguete, Cebu. She was invested as a novice on February 01, 1951 at St. Joseph’s Novitiate, N. Domingo St, Quezon City, now, the RVM Generalate. She pronounced her first profession of vows on August 15, 1958. She gratefully celebrated her silver jubilee on February 02, 1978 and golden jubilee on February 03, 2003.

While in mission, she continued her studies until she finished her Bachelor of Education major in English at Lourdes College, Cagayan de Oro City.

Most of her mission assignments were in Eastern Samar and Leyte from 1953 to 1972 and 1983-1984 -- a total of twenty years. She was also assigned in Our Lady of Grace Academy, Caloocan, St. Mary’s College of Tagum, and Notre Dame of Makilala where she served for ten (10) years, and the last eight years were spent in Social Ministry. She was, as well, sent to Holy Cross Academy, Digos, Holy Child Academy, Gumaca, Quezon, St. Andrew Academy, Bacarra, Infant King Academy, Jimalalud, St. Jude High School Pagudpud, Conception, Tarlac, St. Anne’s Academy, Hagonoy, Iwahig Penal Colony, Palawan, Holy Cross College, Bansalan, Immaculate Conception Ladie’s Hall, España and RVM Mother House. Then, she served at Mother Ignacia Healing Center, Bagumbong, for five years. In 2013 she was transferred to St. Joseph Home because of her health condition.

She served the Congregation through its education ministry for thirty-three (33) years, twenty-five (25) of which as local econome. She spent fifteen years (15) as pastoral social worker and the rest of the years, were spent serving the ministry of prayer and presence when she considered herself as a warrior of prayer for both the living and the dead.

S. Estela acknowledged with gratefulness how God held her in His loving palms. Her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as her Divine Pilot, Healer and Guide and to Mary, the Mother of Perpetual Help, reflected her person through her relationship with those whom she ministered. Indeed, she imbedded in her life the true meaning of “Sister of Mercy”.

She recounted that she found fulfillment in Social Ministry where her heart beat for the suffering families, women and children. She was appreciated for her dedication in uplifting the dignity of poor women and children. She found meaning in her mission with the inmates at Iwahig Penal Colony. She received words of appreciation from her parish priest in Iwahig Penal Colony, who said: “It is a tremendous consolation to look back into the past when I was privileged to labor hand in hand with you, a trusted and reliable partner imbued with a genuine commitment for service.”

S. Estela loved to be remembered with the positive things she did and to be fondly called as Estela, a star within her that continually inspired her to shine brightly for others even in small and simple deeds. True to her name, she rekindled prayerfulness, goodness, thoughtfulness, care, compassion, humble service, dynamism and industry in her heart. She is lovingly remembered as kind and independent. Those who attended to her at St. Joseph Home recalled that after she is given milk, she would be contented in doing things on her own. They also noted how she never complained nor was irritable despite her illness.

She surrendered to the gentle Palm and loving Heart of Jesus as she breathed her last on July 19, 2018 at 12:48 past midnight because of Hypoxia due to cardiac arrhythmia.

S. Maria Estela, allow us to thank you earnestly for the spark of light which you ignited to the Church through the Congregation. Thank you for the ninety-two (92) years of earthly life and sixty-five years as Religious of the Virgin Mary.

We bid you farewell and we thank you for the gift of your person which will always serve as inspiration to all of us. Rest now, our dear Sister Estela. May the loving mercy of God envelop you.

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

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. 

Amen.