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S. MARIA SALVACION OLIVER MARGALLO, RVM
(June 7, 1930 – June 6, 2018)
In a little barrio of Palo, Leyte, called Camaysihay, a baby girl was born on June 7, 1930 to Catalino Margallo and Juana Oliver both pious Catholics. Two weeks later, that baby girl was christened Salvacion Margallo. She was the youngest of eight children – 4 boys and 4 girls. As siblings, they loved each other as their parents loved them so well.
S. Maria Salvacion was sickly but this did not hinder her from growing up like a normal child. At six years old, she studied the cartilla. She recalled that in preparation for their first holy communion, they had a three-day recollection spending the days in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, listening to religious readings and teachings of the priest stressing on the importance of the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. She considered that as her first happiest moment because she imagined that Jesus was with her all the time.
S. Salve had some significant success stories to share. First was when she was in Grade One. While other pupils her age were conducted to school, she went to school on her own. Her mother just instructed her what to do which she followed. Another was during her first year high school. She was chosen to represent her class to a religion quiz contest. She was hesitant not because she was afraid to lose but because she was afraid to compromise her teacher but she remembered that obeying her elders is also obedience to God so she consented. Her fellow contestants were second to fourth year students of their school. In their classroom, before going to the contest, she prayed for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was awed at how the Lord helped her. She was able to answer all questions given to her which she considered as one faith experience.
Growing up, her love for matters of faith started as early as she can recall. At seven, she was already a member of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception then later joined the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart. She loved to fulfill the duties of praying the holy rosary daily, go to confession, receive Holy Communion every first Friday and first Saturday of the month. She likes to play – imitating the pious women in their church doing procession. Together with her playmates, she would go processioning around the banana trees in their farm and would place the picture of the Immaculate Conception on top of an improvised altar.
Her love for the Eucharist was made more evident during Japanese time. “We could still hear Mass during Sundays even if it was difficult to go to the town. I have a belief that if it is not yet our time to die wherever we go, God will protect us so I have the courage to go on hearing Mass. I only bowed to the Sentinel three times and would say in Japanese language ‘Go Kiuki’ meaning ‘I am going to church’. This event made my faith stronger and developed my love for God.”
She recalled that her vocation started when she was in Grade Four. To find out if she can be a Sister, she tried to walk three (3) kilometers from their house in the farm to the town without turning her head because she heard a story that when Sisters walk, they never turned their heads.
In high school she studied in a private school ran by priests from first to second year but by the time she was third year high school, this was turned over to the RVM Sisters. Here, her faith was enriched. She remembered passing by the church before going to her classes just to say “Hello, Jesus…” or “Jesus, bless me. I am going to classes now, please help me to know and understand my lessons.” She learned from the priests.
When the Sisters took over, S. Maria Elena Cinco was the principal. She organized the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. S. Maria Salvacion was assigned as one of the officers. Their annual retreat intensified her ardent desire to become a Sister. When she was in the fourth year, one of their teachers requested her, together with her other classmates – Consuelo Peñeda, Rosario Papistol and Consolacion Pamplona to serve their school’s athletes. One evening, before going to bed, they had a sharing where they discovered their desire for a common vocation in life to become a Sister some day and believed that this will be realized if they will cooperate with God’s holy will.
On the night of her graduation day, S. Maria Salvacion told her mother of her desire to become a Sister but her mother did not allow her because she was sickly and said: “Sisters worked the whole day without rest. You might not be able to tackle the work.” Being the youngest in the family, she had to obey her mother. All her older sisters died already. She had to abide with her mother’s decision.
She proceeded to College and took ETC course at Leyte Normal College. She would wake up early every day so she could hear Mass and offered three Hail Mary’s daily for her desired vocation in life. But before the end of that year, her mother died. That was her second saddest experience, the first was during the death of her father before her graduation in Grade Six. She became so depressed that she did not like to continue her studies anymore. Her cousins and two brothers (the only ones left of her immediate family) helped her overcome her sorrow and advised her to finish her studies. It was this time that she was reconnected with S. Maria Elena Cinco who sent her a sympathy card and followed up on her vocation.
After finishing her 2-year ETC she applied right away and was advised to proceed to Catbalogan for aspirancy. She was accepted to postulancy on July 31, 1954 but two months before she was to receive the habit, she was seriously ill so she was prolonged. This experience of getting seriously ill was repeated once again so she was advised to go home. She reapplied after some years and was accepted to Postulancy again on February 1, 1957, entered Noviceship on August 14, 1957, First Profession on August 15, 1960, Perpetual Profession on May 31, 1966, Silver Jubilee on August 15, 1985 and Golden Jubilee on August 15, 2010.
She was assigned mostly as Religion Teacher, Librarian, Treasurer, Canteen In-charge, Social Worker on her following mission assignments: San Pascual Institution, Obando, Bulacan; St. Joseph College, Borongan, Eastern Samar; St. Mary’s Academy, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; Our Lady’s Academy, Baganga, Davao Oriental; Holy Cross Academy, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; St. Mary’s College, Tagum, Davao del Norte; Maryknoll High school, Kapalong, Davao; St. Anne’s Academy, Hagonoy, Bulacan, Sacred Heart Academy, Guagua, Pampanga; St. Mary’s Academy, Baliwag, Bulacan; St. Mary’s Academy, Pasay City; Holy Cross Academy, Digos, Davao del Sur; Pilar College, Zamboanga City; Immaculate Conception Ladies’ Hall, Urgello, Cebu City; St. Anthony’s Academy, Llorente, Eastern Samar; St. Anthony’s Academy, Tuburan, Cebu; Sacred Heart College, Catbalogan, Western Samar; RVM Regional House, Cebu City; St. Mary’s Academy, Palo, Leyte; RVM Motherhouse and St. Joseph Home in 2008 until her death.
She stated in the last entry of her journal: “I was assigned in many communities because I was sickly. I praise and thank the Lord for allowing me to serve in several communities in spite of my poor health. I also thank our beloved Mama Mary for taking care of me throughout the years. I also thank Very Rev. Mother General and Council and all the Sisters for being patient with me in spite of my poor health. May the Lord reward you a hundredfold.”
S. Maria Salvacion was loved by the nurses and staff whom they considered as their favorite “lola” in the ward because she radiated a spirit of joyful suffering, of sweetness and goodness in her own simple ways. Her gentle sweetness conceals whatever pain she may have endured.
Last Wednesday, on June 6 at 4:40 in the afternoon, she breathed her last because of hypoxia due to cardiac arrhythmia and hypertensive cardiovascular disease. As the Lord bade her to leave the earth just few hours away from her 88th birthday, she responded promptly. It was God’s perfect timing. S. Maria Salvacion was a firm believer that everything happens according to God’s holy will. While her physical body lies in wake, her spirit must be celebrating with the great feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary whom she loved so dearly.
Thank you S. Maria Salvacion, for sharing your life lived to the full. Thank you for showing us that even in sickness one can still witness the profound love of God. Farewell... Your presence with us will be greatly missed. Continue to pray for us as we pray for you. See you again in God’s own time.
Eternal rest grant unto S. Maria Salvacion, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
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