IN MEMORIAM

S. MARIA TARCELA RAS GONZAGA, RVM

(December 24, 1918 – August 30, 2016)

It was Christmas Eve of 1918 and the small village of Sta. Fe, Alburquerque in Bohol was rejoicing for the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. A simple dwelling was happier than the rest of the neighborhood for a baby girl was also born in their midst. She was named Tarcela after the last name that appeared on the calendar. The next day, Christmas Day, Tarcela received the sacrament of baptism, and five years later, on September 18, 1923, she received the sacrament of confirmation from Bishop Gorordo of Cebu.

S. Maria Tarcela, the 5th child of the couple, Fruto Gonzaga and Cerila Ras, grew up in a religious environment. Both parents learned the cartilla by heart, which helped them raise their children to be devout. S. Maria Tarcela recalled that her mother was her first teacher in catechism and basic prayer. Also, her parents were daily Mass goers, inspiring others to be active in the various religious activities in their place. Their family would walk the one and a half kilometer stretch to their Parish church for Mass and other activities. On their way home, they would gather guavas along the road. The family never missed to pray the Holy Rosary at dawn and the Angelus at sunset. As for S. Maria Tarcela, she never missed joining the Flores de Mayo in her elementary years and she enjoyed singing the Alleluia at Easter.

S. Maria Tarcela has three sisters and four brothers. One of her brothers, Margarito, who is already 95 years old, is a priest. Another brother, Atilano, has a son who is a priest and a daughter who is an RVM Sister. During her high school years, S. Maria Tarcela stopped for three years to pave the way for the brother next to her to enter the seminary. She helped him financially by selling puto and bibingka. She reached as far as Dumaguete for buy-and-sell to support the family as well as her plan to finish her schooling. During these years of waiting to continue again her studies, her special devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes blossomed.

Earlier in her life, her love for service was already evident. During the war, she volunteered in the preparation of the food for the guerillas. To help in her family’s daily sustenance she had to walk through valleys, streams, and mountains, passing through the hills, which we presently call chocolate hills, to barter their salted fish and salt with rice, corn and root crops. She acknowledged how God worked marvels in their lives amidst the threatening presence of the Japanese. After the war, her parents promised to send her to school which made her very happy because she desired to enter the convent. She knew that only high school graduates could be accepted during that time.

She was 27 years old when she entered high school at St. Joseph’s Academy, Tagbilaran managed by the Holy Spirit Sisters. She finished her secondary education for only three years and proceeded to college at the Holy Name College, a branch of the University of San Carlos. When she completed two years in college, she was employed as a teacher and continued supporting her brother seminarian. After two years again, she continued her schooling and in summer of 1952, she finished her Bachelor of Science in Education major in Filipino, minor in English at the University of San Carlos in Cebu. This was also the year that her brother was ordained to the priesthood.

Her relationship with the Blessed Mother grew as well as her desire to become a religious. She did not know any RVM Sister but her prayer was constant, “Lord, I want to be a Sister in whatever way I will be accepted.” It was timely that she had her vacation in Iligan City. Her sister-in-law, a good friend of Mother Maria Leoncia Taladua, brought her to St. Michael’s College to visit the latter. It was there that she knew the RVM Sisters.

When Mother Maria Emilia Romero, the Vicar General then, visited the Sisters at the Seminary of Tagbilaran, S. Maria Tarcela took the opportunity to hand over her application letter. Her family, except her brother priest, was against her decision. Her mother pleaded for her not to enter the convent because the former was getting old and sickly. Her mother told her that she might not see her anymore if she would leave home. She replied to her mother by saying “Nana, even if I am always by your side, if God wants it, you will die. God will take care of you, I will always pray for you.” Her mother died on her 20th year as RVM.

She entered Postulancy on July 31, 1954, and Noviceship on February 01, 1955. She had her first profession on February 02, 1957 and perpetual profession on February 02, 1963. On February 02, 1982, she celebrated her silver jubilee and on February 02, 2007, she had her golden jubilee celebration. S. Maria Tarcela described her religious life as “liberating and enriching, an expression of a personal commitment to the Lord”.

Most of the mission assignments of S. Maria Tarcela were in Northern Mindanao. Her first mission was at Xavier High School, Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte in 1957 to 1960 as a Principal and Classroom teacher. She was also sent to St. Mary’s High School, Tagoloan, Christ the King College, Gingoog City, St. John the Baptist High School, Lagonglong, Mary Immaculate Academy, Jasaan, Mt. Carmel High School, Talisayan, St. Rita’s College, Balingasag, Ferrer High School, Labason, Zamboanga del Norte, and Cathedral School of Techonology, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City. Her assignments outside Northern Mindanao were at Sacred Heart Academy, Loon, Bohol, St. Joseph’s College, Borongan, Eastern Samar, St. Mary’s College, Tagum City, Holy Cross of Bansalan College, Davao del Sur, and Immaculate Conception Ladies’ Hall, España, Manila. She worked with dedication and industry as classroom teacher, administrator, librarian, cashier, local econome, finance officer and canteen in-charge. In 2005, her life of prayer and presence was intensified at St. Joseph Home where she resided until she breathed her last due to Ischemic Heart Disease on August 30, 2016 at 12:21 early morning.

S. Maria Tarcela was described as prayerful, reserved, quiet, uncomplaining, obedient to rules, and humble in her ways, especially in accepting failures. She manifested love for her community and congeniality to all the Sisters and companions in the ministry. She worked with passion and commitment. One principle she upheld was to talk good of others, especially in their absence.

Our gratitude to you, our dear S. Maria Tarcela, for having lived faithfully the 59 years of your life as Religious of the Virgin Mary. We remember with utmost gratitude your kindness, congeniality, simplicity and humility. Certainly, you have seen the light on the path ahead. Thank you for standing firm and steadfast in your chosen vocation. Farewell, our dear S. Tarcela. May Jesus your faithful spouse, Mary, the queen of your vocation and Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo your inspiration accompany you in the heavenly abode.

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

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. 

Amen.