IN MEMORIAM

S. MARIA VICTORIA MARGALLO SALCEDA, RVM

(October 12, 1925 – August 01, 2018)

S. Maria Victoria Margallo Salceda was born in Palo, Leyte. She was the middle of five daughters of Vicente Salceda and Carmen Margallo. She was christened Victoria in memory of the victory of the Christian soldiers who prayed the rosary over the Muslims in the battle of Lepanto, Europe. It was a timely suggestion of the officiating priest since she was baptized during the month of the Holy Rosary specifically on October 17, 1925. She was confirmed on August 06, 1926 on the feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration.

The parents of Sister Victoria were pious Catholics and faithful to the Church’s teachings and practices. They were members of religious associations like Apostolado, Dolorosa, and Josefinos, and they never failed to share a tenth of their annual income to the Parish Priest in obedience to biblical teaching. They trained their children to pray the “Trisagio” at dawn, the family rosary at night and joined Sunday Masses. The young Victoria, together with her older sister, Catalina, grew up in this religious environment. Her three other siblings died in their young age. She recounted that she lived in a beautiful, peaceful and happy home with her loving and understanding parents. She considered her father as her “pal” with whom she could spend the whole night sharing stories, while she claimed that her Nanay Carmen was her first teacher, both in academics and catechism. Her mother instilled in her young mind this gospel passage, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul.” (Mt. 16:26)

Victoria finished her elementary education at Palo Elementary School. She spent her first year high school at Leyte Central School, now St. Mary’s Academy of Palo. During the Japanese occupation, she continued her second year high school at the Leyte Provincial High School and her third year at the Holy Infant Academy ran by the Benedictine Sisters. She returned to Leyte Central School where she completed her secondary education. She was a consistent honor student. As a student, she was able to balance academics, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities. She actively involved herself in dramas, folk dancing, and other competitions. She was also a member of her school’s softball team and reached as far as provincial meet.

She received her diploma in Bachelor of Secondary Education at St. Mary’s College, Quezon City in 1955 and her Master’s Degree at De la Salle University in 1972.

Sister Victoria’s vocation was nurtured through the piety of her parents and the life of witness of the Benedictine Sisters. She narrated that her father had high dreams for her because she was a constant topnotcher in her class. However, after graduation from high school she left home to answer God’s call. Her father could not do anything but ran to their farm and shouted at the top of his voice his disappointment and sorrow for Victoria’s departure. S. Maria Victoria was firm and persistent in her decision because she said that the love of God and mission work were her highest dreams.

She was accepted to postulancy on November 21, 1947 with seven other young girls. She proceeded to Noviceship on May 24, 1948. She pronounced her first vows on May 24, 1950. On October 30, 1955, she pronounced her final vows. She celebrated her silver jubilee on May 24, 1975 and golden jubilee on February 02, 2000.

As Religious of the Virgin Mary, S. Maria Victoria dedicated herself as a teacher, principal, directress, dean of college, local superior, regional secretary and social worker. She was grateful to the congregation for entrusting her the roles of local servant leader and for the twenty-nine (29) years as school administrator. She found more meaning in her mission through the Social Ministry for nineteen (19) years. Her heart truly beat with and for the poor. She wrote, “I do not learn the realities of life from the academe and scholars but from naked / genuine persons who are stripped of their rights and freedom. I had a real experience of being with people and suffering with them in their needs.” Truly, her passion was to serve and love in solidarity with the marginalized.

She was in Sapang Palay for four (4) fruitful years where she uplifted the basic needs and dignity of the poor. She spent eight (8) grace-filled years in prison ministry at Iwahig Penal Colony, Palawan where she organized activities for the integral development of the prisoners. She engaged in the improvement of the economic status of poor families through IGPs, cooperative, and livelihood programs at Marian Multi-Purpose Center, Tagaytay City. The postulants then, were with her, reaching out to the drug dependents through catechism and bible sharing.

She worked as staff and executive secretary of the Mother Ignacia Development Foundation Incorporation (MIDFI) from 2001 – 2010 where she helped in sourcing out funds to support the congregation’s poor schools and finance projects for the poor.

Her devotion to Jesus the Good Shepherd inspired her to look after the lost and the least. Though she did not become a missionary to Africa, which she longed for, she remained zealous and magnanimous in her life in the mission.

S. Maria Victoria’s life was a journey of the cross, a journey of courage amidst poverty, uncertainties and misunderstanding. It was faith in God’s providential love that carried her through. She admitted, though, that the heartwarming memories from younger years as religious also came in handy whenever she was a little down. Experiences like cooking “pancit” (noodles) that turned into “lugao” (porridge) and cooking hot cake in a quite huge oven always brought her joy.

She demonstrated servant-leadership with humility, compassion, self-sacrifice, joy, and hard-work. She could easily organize people and tap their potentials. She loved writing and bravely spoke her mind, for the common good. She was commended by her resourcefulness and courage to initiate constructions of school building and Sisters’ convent. She lived out faithfully her vows of poverty, chastity and obedience because of her deep desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of her life.

S. Maria Victoria totally surrendered her mortal body to God, her loving Creator, on August 01, 2018 at 8:50 in the morning because of cardiac failure due to arrhythmia. Mother Vic, with your life of witness, we are certain that your soul has now gained heaven. Thank you for having lived life for ninety-two years and sixty-eight (68) years of which in fidelity to God as Religious of the Virgin Mary. Certainly, you have now achieved the real victory not from war but victory over temptation and sin. We will forever cherish the beauty and the goodness of your person. May Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and Mother Ignacia joyfully welcome you to God’s heavenly abode. May you rejoice exceedingly as you receive your eternal reward. Farewell, our dear S. Maria Victoria.

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

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. 

Amen.