IN MEMORIAM

S. MARIA ROSITA VILLANUEVA FERNANDEZ, RVM

(June 19, 1925 – September 19, 2016)

“There is an appointed time for everything, a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace. (Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1 ff)

S. Maria Rosita found meaning in these verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes after taking the renewal program of the Congregation in 1988, on the 31st year of her religious life. Indeed, these words capsulized her life’s journey.

S. Maria Rosita was born on June 19, 1925 to Dominador Fernandez and Angela Villanueva of Liliw, Laguna. She was baptized on March 26, 1926 and confirmed on August 24, 1933. Her complete baptismal and confirmation name was Rosita Laura Villanueva Fernandez.

Her father was a teacher at the Provincial High School of Pasig, Rizal while her mother was the head nurse at the Philippine General Hospital. She is the middle child. She had an elder brother as well as a younger brother. At the age of four, her mother died due to sickness. S. Maria Rosita and her siblings grew up with their paternal grandparents, a prominent family in Liliw, Laguna. She was brought up with fear by her disciplinarian grandfather and aunts. The loss of her mother and separation from her father greatly affected her childhood until her adult life as religious. She described herself as aloof, insecure, fearful, quiet, introverted, feeling rejected, unloving and indifferent. She attributed her illnesses in later life as religious as the adverse effects of her not life-giving past.

She had her primary and intermediate education at Liliw Elementary School, her secondary education at Rizal Standard Academy, Nagcarlan, Laguna. During the war, she made use of her time by doing crochet and playing piano. She finished her Bachelor of Arts in Commerce major in Accounting at St. Teresa’s College, Manila. She chose St. Teresa’s College to really find out if she had the religious vocation which she often thought of when she was young. A year after her graduation, she taught accounting-related courses in their school, Rizal Standard Academy founded by her father and his colleagues.

As a young woman, her grandmother convinced her to join parties, where her love for fashion and participation in ballroom and formal dancing developed. She grew popular as a socialite in the two towns of Liliw and Nagcarlan, thus, it became difficult for her to reveal her long-desired vocation for the religious life because for certain, nobody would believe her. She attempted approaching the sisters of St. Teresa’s College but she was told that she should have revealed her desire when she was still their student for them to have known her better.

S. Maria Rosita spent some time for discernment through the guidance of Fr. Roche, a Redemptorist priest until she was inspired to organize the Legion of Mary in their Parish in Liliw, Laguna. She was a member of said organization since first year college in Mandaluyong. She enjoyed catechizing children, validating marriages, going for the enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in different houses, praying block rosaries and organizing infant and adult baptism. She was able to organize the Legion of Mary as far as San Pablo City and other towns after Sta. Cruz. She acknowledged that Mother Mary was molding her and helping her to grow in her desired vocation.

S. Maria Rosita also revealed her desire for religious life to Fr. Emilio Palma, then Parish Priest of their town. She was brought to the Good Shepherd Convent in Batangas. Her experience there was not encouraging. Then, she learned about the Religious of the Virgin Mary through her aunt, S. Maria Elena Montañano, the first cousin of her father. She also knew M. Maria Filomena Arjona, her town mate whom she met during vacation. She was advised to write the Superior General which she did in the later part of 1952 and got the response in 1953 telling her, “come to the convent in June, 1953”.

When her father learned of her decision, he got so angry that made S. Maria Rosita leave home at midnight while her father was sound asleep. She travelled with her Aunt through the BLTB transport. At the age of 28, she entered the convent. It was there that she met her two elderly grandmothers, the cousins of her grandfather, M. Maria Pilar Fernandez, then the Superior of St. Mary’s College, Diliman, and M. Maria Rosario Fernandez with who she spent her aspirancy. She was accepted to postulancy on February 01, 1954 and to noviceship on August 14, 1954. She made her temporary profession on February 02, 1957, and her perpetual profession on February 02, 1963. She celebrated her silver jubilee in the religious life on February 02, 1982 and her golden jubilee on February 02, 2007.

Her mission assignment were in Lourdes College, Cagayan de Oro City, St. Mary’s College, Quezon City, Immaculate Conception College, Davao City, St. Anne’s Academy, Sta Ana, Manila, Immaculate Conception College, Boac, Marinduque, Sacred Heart Academy, Nagcarlan, Laguna, Betania Retreat House, Calamba, Laguna, Capri Community Center, Novaliches, Ferrer High School, Labason, Zamboanga del Norte, Mother Ignacia Retreat Seminar House, Bagumbong, Mother Ignacia Home for the Elderly, Laguna, Betania Retreat House, San Fernando, La Union, RVM Provincial House, Davao City and RVM Mother House, Quezon City. In 2013, she was transferred to St. Joseph Home until she breathed her last on September 19, 2016 at 1:13 early morning due to bleeding peptic ulcer and chronic kidney disease.

She contributed in the ministries of the Congregation as administrator, registrar, cashier, procurator, teacher, social worker and dormitory staff. She worked at the Knights of Columbus Cooperative, Archdiocese of Manila. She volunteered as a rural missionary in the Provinces of Bulacan and Zambales. She was greatly involved in the Social and Healing Ministries of the Congregation. She mentioned that she joyfully immersed her life with the poor for 35 years. She gratefully claimed that her ministry with the poor allowed her to go out of herself and have her goodness shine. She was able to see the reality of life considering her limited and well-off upbringing.

During the renewal program, after 31 years in religious life, she was confronted with her painful childhood and formation years’ experiences. Her awareness of them sparked a desire to be healed. She was motivated to delve deeply into herself, befriend her negative emotions and embrace the woundedness of the past. She involved herself in psycho-spiritual healing for she wanted to feel the freedom she longed for, the freedom of experiencing true peace, love, joy and wholeness. Her being wounded and her experience of healing led her to help others who were also wounded. Truly, her smile, compassion, prayerful presence, loving touch and kindness radiated healing to many people especially the poor.

Our gratitude to you, S. Maria Rosita, for your 59 years of dedicated life as a Religious of the Virgin Mary! Farewell, our dear Sister. Now, the fullness of time has come, time for complete healing, time for rejoicing, time for playing the music and for dancing graciously and peacefully with Jesus, your Spouse. Indeed, your wounded self is now made whole in the loving embrace of our Triune God, Mother Mary and Mother Ignacia.

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

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. 

Amen.