Francisca de Fuentes, was born to Don Simon de Fuentes and Ana Maria Tamayo del Castillo in the City of Manila in 1647. Widowed and childless herself after a brief marriage, she dedicated herself to helping the sick, the needy and the young. In 1682, she received the habit of a Dominican tertiary and took the name Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo. She was joined by a small group, and a family of religious founded in the Philippines had its beginning. Final approval came later, but the early years brought many difficulties. Francisca persevered. Her pioneering ideal of a religious community for Filipinas, in the spirit of St. Dominic, was based on a life of prayer, of penance and service for others. She herself set an example of these; and continued to guide and inspire her companions.
On August 24,1711, Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo died at the age of 63, bringing to a happy end a life of deep fidelity, and leaving a legacy of service to the sick, the poor, and the young.
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