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S. MARIA LYDIA ESTRELLA JOVELLANO, RVM
(January 10, 1933 – April 13, 2016)
“The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I lack. In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me;
you restore my strength, you guide me along the right path for the sake of your name,
even when I walk through a dark valley I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.”
These lines from Psalm 23:1-4 became the constant inspiration and aspiration of S. Maria Lydia Estrella Jovellano as she started her journey in the religious life, searching for a deeper knowledge of the Lord and intensifying her zeal for “service in the Divine Majesty.”
S. Maria Lydia was born midnight of 10th January 1933 in Cotabato City; the 6th in a family of 5 boys and 4 girls of devout Catholic parents, Florencio Valeriano Jovellano and Florencia Ortuoste Estrella, who by God’s providence, said S. Lydia, had the same first name. The children were reared in a Catholic home environment. Their father Florencio, was an architect by profession and mother, Florencia who finished her studies in Beaterio, Intramuros together with Mother Maria Sousa, stayed home to attend to the upbringing of the children. The child, Lydia, learned her first prayers from her mother who taught her to recite “Angel of God” in Spanish and prepared her for first communion. Sundays and holidays of obligation brought the entire family to church and even on ordinary days when there were no classes. Growing up together in a big family, Lydia enjoyed the company of her siblings playing and going to school together. All these happy days ended when World II broke out in 1944 and the Japanese occupied the city. All the civilians were told to evacuate the place and the Jovellano family fled to their farm in Amadeo, some distance from the city, which used to be a place teeming in great abundance of products from the farm until the “moros” invaded the place and would come in the night to get food and anything from the Christians in order to survive. They even hacked Christians to death to drive them away from the place. With this worsening condition the Jovellanos decided to go back to the city for safety.
Lydia was home-schooled, with her mother preparing her for Grade I, which she started in 1945. She finished her elementary grades in 1949 and during those years she loved to read fairytales and stories about nuns which she called “nun-stories”. Her secondary education was under the RVM Sisters at Notre Dame Girls’ Department in Cotabato City and her College education in Notre College under the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). It was in her 3rd year high school that Lydia felt a strong desire for the religious life after she met the young Sister Maria Benita Bautista, whom she admired very much for her gentle ways. In College she had for a Spiritual Director, Fr. Eduard Gordon, OMI, who advised her to finish College before making a decision. She met Rev. Mother Andrea Montejo, who was visiting the RVM Community in Cotabato, and again she expressed her desire to be a religious. She was advised again to finish College as she was still young. Finally after she got her degree she reiterated her desire to be an RVM to Rev. Mother Maria Catalina Dychitan who was in Cotabato for a visitation. Upon learning her decision, her parents were so depressed because they wanted her to join the Oblates of Notre Dame (OND) who are based in Cotabato. This did not discourage Lydia in her decision. She gathered enough strength through the person of Sister Benita, whom she called her “Angel”, supporting her with her prayer.
Finally on March 10, 1958, Lydia was accepted to Postulancy by Revered Mother Maria Catalina Dychitan during her visitation in Cotabato. Except for her father, who was not happy about the decision, all family members were present including relatives and friends.
S. Lydia was sent to Manila for Noviceship and kept her motto which was ingrained in her heart by their Novice Mistress, “Silence prepares the soul for prayer.” She had her First Temporary Profession on August 15, 1960; in 1965 she was called to tertianship to prepare for Perpetual Vows. She wrote in her Autobiography that tertianship was full of joy; she could not forget the reminder of her Junior Mistress; “Joy comes from God. God is joy himself and the one who bears God in her heart participates in this happiness”. In her later years of life as a religious she recalled that she had experienced sadness twice only in her life: when their house in Cotabato was destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1976 and the death of her eldest brother who was gunned down by a Moslem inside his car in Cotabato City.
S. Lydia’s retreat before perpetual profession was an experience of prayer she could not forget. Her perpetual profession was anticipated May 31, 1966 instead of August 15. There was a need of Sisters in the mission because 13 of them belonging to February and August groups were called for tertianship. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee August 15, 1985 and her Golden Jubilee August 15, 2010. After her perpetual vows she was sent to Dalaguete, Cebu to take care of Catechism classes in the Public School. Her subsequent assignment were; Notre Dame School for Girls in Kidapawan as Procurator and Assistant Principal; Holy Rosary Academy, Lubao, Pampanga, Superior /Principal; Obando Institute, Bulacan, Teacher. Then she took a study leave for 2 years and stayed in the Regional House, Singalong. She enrolled at Philippine Women’s University for a Masteral degree. In 1978 she was sent to Tagum Davao, High School Principal; ICC Boac, Marinduque as HS Principal. Then followed by her assignment in San Nicolas Academy, Cebu as Superior – Directress – Principal. After her assignment in Cebu she was assigned in St. Anthony Academy, Llorente, Samar as HS Principal. It was during her stint in Llorente as Principal that she met an accident. Coming back from Cebu whe she submitted school documents to the Department of Education, she boarded a boat to return to Llorente. She fell from the second floor of boat’s stairway on her way to her place in the boat. She did not mind the fall thinking it was just a case of an ordinary fall since she did not experience any unusual pain. She went about doing her work in school for 7 years until she experienced blurring of her vision and occasional headaches. She was sent to Cebu for Medical check-up and stayed in St. Mary’s Dormitory for a year for close follow up of her ailment. She felt well after a year and was assigned to Fr. Urios High School in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur as Superior-Principal. Meanwhile, she still continued seeing her doctor in Cebu. This time she was advised to proceed to Manila for CT Scan which revealed a blood clot in her brain. She underwent surgery in 1998 in Lourdes Hospital which was successful; she was assigned in ICLH, España, Manila until 1999. This year her eye sights deteriorated more and in 2001 she was sent to St. Joseph Home for rest where she spent her time in silence and prayer in the midst of her physical pain.
She wrote in her autobiography that her days in St. Joseph Home made her realize that she needed solitude as an extrovert amidst too much non-sensical things going on her mind. She needed silence and solitude with God. She wrote, “when I look back over my life, I saw the two hands of God leading me to where I am right now, walking with me always, never leaving my side. Now I can trust the future because these hands have upheld me so well in the past.”
In serene silence just two minutes after midnight of April 13, 2016, Sister Maria Lydia Estrella Jovellano took the hands of the Good Shepherd to lead her to her final rest in green pastures and safe waters. She breathed her last peacefully as she succumbed to Cardiac Arrest with Antecedent Myocardial Infarction.
Goodbye, Sister Lydia. Thank you for your example of silent suffering and a deep prayer life all your 15 years in St. Joseph Home.
May you now be at rest in green pastures and pure waters with the Good Shepherd.
Eternal rest grant unto S. Maria Lydia, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
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