IN MEMORIAM

S. MARIA LYDIA NAPOLES TAYAG, RVM

(July 06, 1928 – September 29, 2019)

S. Maria Lydia Napoles Tayag, who hailed from Magarao, Camarines Sur, was the seventh (7th) of the nine (9) children of Justino Tayag and Tarcela Napoles. Five of the children died in infancy. The other four siblings were brought up in a religious environment by their father who was then a municipal treasurer, and their mother, a public elementary teacher who eventually stopped teaching to attend to her children. The older sisters of the young Lydia served as her religion teachers and for her, they were models of piety, self-denial and patience.

S. Maria Lydia was baptized on July 22, 1928 in Sta. Ana Parish Church, Magarao, Camarines Sur. At a young age, she was already involved in the varied activities of the Church. She was around seven or eight years old when she started to dream of wearing a hood like that of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. She wished to have it more than the medals and ribbons worn by the members of the Children of Mary, but her mother could not provide it because it was not available in their place. She also competed and won in religion subject contests. During her first confession, she felt that she had nothing to tell the priest so she asked her classmates what they would tell him and shared it as her own confession.

When the war broke out, the family attributed their safety from the hands of the Japanese to the protection of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Our Lady of Peace. The young Lydia and her elder sisters spent their time giving catechism to the children passing through the Japanese Garrison.

When she was in High School, she greatly desired to study at Sta. Isabel College because of the presence of the Daughters of Charity and of its religion classes. She conceded to her mother’s condition of foregoing new sets of dress to have two sets of school uniform so she would be able to study in a Catholic school. She finished her high school in Sta. Isabel during the liberation period.

Lydia and her siblings learned industry and resourcefulness so as to live and continue their education considering that their parents joined the bosom of the Heavenly Father when they were still young. She studied and worked at the same time and this enabled her to finish Elementary Teachers’ Certificate (ETC).

Inspired by the example of the Daughters of Charity Sisters, her vocation started when she was in third year high school during their class retreat, although as early as Grade School, she already wrote a theme entitled “My Vocation is to be a Missionary.” When she heard the call at third year high school, she could not decide to respond because she was taking care of her mother and younger brother. When her mother died two months after her high school graduation, in tears, she consecrated herself to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal at their Parish Church. And in the midst of the challenge to choose between marriage and religious life, she preferred to heed the call of God. She entered first as an aspirant in the Benedictine Sisters in St. Agnes Academy, Legaspi where she continued her Junior Normal course. After four (4) years, she got sick and was advised to rest.

She learned about the RVM Sisters through a classmate who had also a vocation and got to know M. Maria Sebastiana Trinidad, who was assigned in Tabaco, Albay. Lydia and her friend were brought to Manila to know the RVM way of life. She and her friend started their initial formation to religious life on November 20, 1951. With the blessing of her spiritual Director, Fr. Lorenzo Maria Guerrero of the Society of Jesus, she proceeded with the Noviceship. On May 1954, she made her first profession of vows and on May 24, 1960, she had her perpetual profession, It was on May 24, 1979 that she celebrated her silver jubilee and on February 02, 2004, her golden jubilee.

She served the Church and the Congregation as a Teacher, Local Econome, Superior, Pastoral Worker, and Canteen In-charge. In 1977, upon hearing that the Congregation needed volunteers for the new mission in Indonesia, S. Maria Lydia offered herself without hesitation. She was one of the first Sisters who were sent to Indonesia. She eventually stayed there from 1977 to 1993, sixteen years and nine years of which as a Secretary to the Bishop of Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. She took care of the English correspondence, mostly, project proposals, letters and reports to the Vatican. She also became the first teacher in English in Suastiastu Grade School, one of the Catholic Schools in the said Diocese.

In 1996, one of her significant assignments which she requested was to work with the Lahar victims in Bacolor proper and in Cabetican. She enjoyed serving the people in need until she got sick of cholestiatoma and benign tumor at the middle left ear. After having recovered from her illness, she was brought to the University of the Immaculate Conception in 1998-2002. Her connection with the Indonesians continued when the Indonesian Sisters were brought to study in Davao City. She patiently taught them English for them to clearly understand their lessons.

Aware of her own poverty in the mission in Indonesia, S. Maria Lydia remained very compassionate and a true lover of the poor. She was kept motivated by the words, “Kami walang sapatos, sila walang paa.” This became the impetus for her to always extend help in her own simple way.

S. Maria Lydia Tayag was indeed a person of good nature. Those who took care of her in St. Joseph Home, where she lived since 2007, recounted how easy and light it was to relate to her with her humility, kindness and patience. Her group mates and companions They could not forget her joyful disposition, marked by a laughter that was not only contagious but was bursting with life. Her group mates and companions in the community described her as a very good Sister, generous, self-sacrificing, understanding, and patient. She would always think of others. Her spiritual support, love and concern for her family were also noteworthy. Her being a missionary was truly embedded in her heart.

S. Maria Lydia followed the light of Christ on the feast of St. Michael, the Archangel, September 29, 2019 at 1:15 in the afternoon. She succumbed to septicemia.

Thank you, S. Lydia, for living life to the full for 91 years of earthly life and 65 years as Religious of the Virgin Mary.

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Joseph, and Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo joyfully welcome you in God’s heavenly abode. We pray for your eternal peace and joy. Thank you and farewell, our dear S. Maria Lydia. May angels watch over you!

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

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. 

Amen.