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S. MARIA TERESITA SORIANO CANTOS, RVM
(October 15, 1941 – June 25, 2019)
S. Maria Teresita Soriano Cantos who hailed from San Miguel, Batangas was the 5th child of nine (3 boys and 6 girls) of Jose Cantos and Martina Soriano. Out of the nine children, two (2) died in infancy. They were brought up by the industry and resourcefulness of their parents who worked hard in the farm to sustain the daily needs of the family. Teresita and her siblings learned the discipline of prayer from their grandmother.
The call of God was instilled in young Teresita’s heart in her stay at Balete Elementary School, Batangas, where she received catechesis from the so called “kolehiyalas,” whom she admired. When she graduated from her elementary education, she was told by her parents that she could no longer continue her studies because of financial constraint. The news filled her with much pain. Fortunately, her uncle from Cotabato City, visited the family and he offered Teresita the opportunity to study. Without hesitation, she went with him to Cotabato City where she was sent to Notre-Dame, Girls Department. She became an active student-catechist, president of St. Therese Association and member of the Sodality of Mary. She also excelled in her academic studies.
The call of God for her persisted, and through the lives of S. Maria Milagros de San Jose, RVM and S. Maria Josefina Fran, RVM, she was inspired to answer God’s call after her graduation from high school in 1960. Though initially, she did not receive any support nor blessings from her family, she nourished and pursued her vocation to religious life with much trust in God.
She entered postulancy on July 31, 1962 and noviceship on February 01, 1963. She took her temporary profession on August 15, 1965 and made her perpetual profession on March 24, 1973. She celebrated her silver Jubilee on February 02, 1990 and golden Jubilee on February 02, 2015.
She graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at St. Mary’s College, Quezon City in 1971. She took special studies on Spirituality at Sadhana Pastoral Counselling Institute in Indiana, USA. She also had the chance to take some modules on Christian Marriage and Family Life and in Formation.
S. Maria Teresita’s journey led her to realize that religious life was not easy. She met sweet and oftentimes bitter experiences, but she was always strengthened with the Lord’s words, “My yoke is sweet and my burden is light.” These words sustained her as she served the Church and the congregation with dedication and zeal as a teacher, local superior, directress/ principal and formator.
For several years, she engaged in the diocesan catechetical and youth ministries both in the Philippines and in Ghana, West Africa. Her being a missionary and catechist by heart made her form catechists who generously proclaimed their faith to the children. She recounted that her most meaningful and significant mission was in Ghana, West Africa.
She manifested her big heart for and with the poor as she worked with compassion for the street and abandoned children in Gloria Christi Regis Center, Tagum City. She was also active in the prison apostolate and gave herself in the service of the congregation’s Mother Ignacia Christian-Muslim Relations Center in Cotabato City. She was of great help to many priests through spiritual and financial assistance. She would encourage her family, cousins and friends to sponsor the needs of the seminarians who were financially hard-up until they were ordained priests. She was likewise supportive of the Sisters in formation. A young Sister shared that she fondly remembers the times S. Tess visited them at the Novitiate, asking how they were doing and bringing boxes of food for them. She was generous of her time and resources.
S. Maria Teresita worked selflessly and with passion. She was prayerful, approachable, available, generous, thoughtful, friendly, and spirited. Her smile radiated joy and peace. Her initiative and creativity in contributing to the success of the community’s ministries were visible. Her being a disciplinarian was her way of showing expressions of concern and love to people under her care.
To her family, being the middle child, she was described as mediator, one who would always unite and reconcile the family, one who could intercede when the family was confronted with life’s challenges and uncertainties. She would always remind them to keep the family practice of giving honor to St. Anthony de Padua on his feast day, when the family usually bonds and celebrates together in thanksgiving. The saint’s statue is brought from one family to the other. Her siblings and relatives looked up to her for advice and words of wisdom.
St. Joseph Home has been her home since 2009 for better monitoring of her health condition. Those who attended to her appreciated her obedience even though at times she was resistant to take medications, and the many ways she rendered herself available, be it with her generous and listening heart, her ready smile, or with her words of encouragement.
Days before her passing away, people close to her would whisper to her, “you may go now, follow the light, and do not worry about us.” She, in turn, whispered to a Sister-friend, “I want to finish the retreat” as the community of St. Joseph Home was undergoing their annual retreat from June 14-22, 2019. True enough, two days after the annual retreat, she was eternally united with God and embraced the fruits of her retreat—everlasting love, peace, and joy.
She joined the bosom of the Father on June 25, 2019 at 5:50 in the morning because of diabetic nephropathy.
Thank you so much, S. Maria Teresita, for living life for seventy-seven (77) years and fifty-three (53) years of which as Religious of the Virgin Mary.
May Jesus, the God of the journey, welcome you to your final destiny. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Joseph, St. Anthony de Padua, and Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo joyfully accompany you and bring you to the heavenly abode. Thank you and farewell, our dear S. Tess.
Eternal rest grant unto S. Maria Teresita, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
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