Maria Beatriz Del Rosario Arroyo
Encyclopedia
Maria Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo (Maria Rosario of the Visitation) (February 17, 1884 - June 14, 1957) was a Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....

 nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...

 and the founder of the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines.

Early life, education and religious career

Arroyo was born on Feb. 17, 1884, in Molo
Molo
Molo is an ethnic group in Blue Nile state in Sudan.They number less than thousand and speak Molo, a Nilo-Saharan language. Most of them or all of them are Muslims....

, Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...

 to Ignacio Arroyo and Doña Maria Pidal as the only daughter of three children. Her 2 brothers were Jose Maria Arroyo and Mariano Arroyo. Jose became a senator in 1919 while Mariano was governor of Iloilo in 1928.

She was baptized at the Sta. Ana Church in Molo on February 20, 1884 by Fr. Agapito Buenaflor and was named Ma. Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo. Her Parents were her first teachers in Christian values. A noteworthy tradition of her family was alms giving. Mother Rosario participated in this corporal works of mercy. This made her aware of the misery and plight of the poor and be more compassionate with them.

The greatest obstacle to her piety could have been their affluent standard of living. With this wealth, she could have lived the life of a vain princess but she lived without superfluity. Unspoiled by the abundance surrounding her, she preferred a simple life. When she became an heiress, she donated her inheritance to the congregation.Citation Needed

Mother Rosario first attended classes at the Colegio de Sta. Ana, a private school in Molo. In preparation for her first communion, she was transferred to Colegio de San Jose administered by the Daughters of Charity. She stayed at the Colegio until she finished her elementary education.
She joined the Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...

 Beaterio de Sta. Catalina and to become nun on January 3, 1914. She was taught at the Beaterio of Manila and in Lingayen.

Despite her wealthy upbringing, Arroyo chose a life of poverty and devoted her life with ministry
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...

 to the poor. She became a nun in the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...

.
With the help of two other Dominican nuns, Arroyo would eventually create the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary, a Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 congregation, on February 18, 1927. Elected the First Superioress General of the Congregation at the Congregation's First General Chapter of January 3–6, 1953, she had 32 years of holy service. Madre Sayong or Madre Maestra died on June 14, 1957, in the order of sanctity.

Today, with a membership of over 250, the congregation runs multiple schools, colleges and retreat houses. She is also a distant relative of former Philippine President and now congesswoman of pampanga Gloria Arroyo. Her congregation has professes sisters in the Archdioceses of Capiz, Jaro, Manila and the Dioceses of Bacolod, Imus, Mati, San Jose de Antique and Tagum and in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, USA, Diocese of Honolulu, Hawaii, Diocese of Chalan Kanoa and Diocese of Ngong, Kenya in East Africa and Rome, Italy.

Beatification Process

Arroyo is currently in consideration for sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 with several miracles being investigated which are attributable to her.

Mother Rosario Arroyo Commission

Sister Eleanor Garlito, member of the Mother Rosario Arroyo Commission, stated on June 17, 2008 (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines), that: "We actually launched our movement in 2004 but it was only recently when we were assisted by Vatican City-based Fr. Sam Silloriquez, who talked with Mother Visitation Alecto, former superior general and now head of the Commission."

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines stated that "Mother Rosario's congregation said she personified optimism and unfaltering trust in God's loving providence and added through her unconditional self-giving, she enriched others. Despite her family background, she was a great lover of poverty and did much to alleviate the miseries of the poor, materially and spiritually. She was well known for her assiduous mortifications, unceasing prayers and purity of life. Mariquita Arroyo Tuell and Rosario Arroyo Porta, closest living relatives, daughters of Gov. Mariano Arroyo of Molo, Iloilo City
Iloilo City
The City of Iloilo is a highly urbanized city in the Philippines and the capital city of Iloilo province. It is the regional center of the Western Visayas, as well as the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area...

.Last Oct 7,2008 a mass was held in Dominican sisters convent in Ilo-ilo city which was attended by members of the Tuell and Porta families (Rosario A.Porta and family). Mariano and Delores Arroyo had three children: Manuel Arroyo, Remages Legaspi, and Mariquita Arroyo. Mariquita is the oldest living relative to Mother Rosario (her niece). Mariquita resides in Indiana, USA and has two children, grand niece to Mother Rosario, Anne Tuell Walsh of Elizabeth, Indiana, USA, and grand nephew to Mother Rosario, Chris Tuell of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Senator Arroyo and spouse Jesusa Lacson from Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...

 had 7 children, one of whom was Ignacio Arroyo (father of Philippine
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo
Jose Miguel Arroyo
Jose Miguel "Mike" Tuason Arroyo is a former First Gentleman of the Philippines. He is the husband of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the former President of the Philippines and the current Congresswoman of Pampanga 2nd District....

).

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