Monday, June 16, 2008 A gentle soul By Jenara Regis Newman
SR. Ofelia Ibañez, ICM, marks her 50th year with the ICM congregation with songs from her heart, composed through the years and now finally printed and recorded under the title “Songs in the Web of Life.”
Sr. Ofelia made her profession in Pacdal, Baguio City, on May 12, 1958, taking the name Dame Marie Reina. She reverted to her name when the congregation, which changed its name from the Missionary Canonesses of St. Augustine to Immaculati Cordia Mariae (ICM) or Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, decided to change the way the nuns would be called, from their professed names to their baptismal names.
In St. Theresa’s College (STC) where she studied, she played the role of Bernadette in “The Song of Bernadette” in the school’s 1954 annual play.
She graduated summa cum laude with an AB degree, and also finished her Associate in Music degree from Battig Piano School, with Pilar Blanco Sala as her mentor. Shortly thereafter, and after a short teaching stint, she decided to enter the convent. The congregation deemed it fitting that she should continue her music studies and she got a bachelor in music degree from STC, Manila, under the tutelage of Sr. Magadaleen (Lieve Spanhove), ICM. This gift of music she kept through the years, coming out with music and song when mere words were not enough to thank God for all his blessings.
Some of the songs, Sr. Ofelia says, were composed for retreats and recollections. Fifty-nine of her songs (most of the time, both music and lyrics are hers) are included in her book, prepared with much care by Msgr. Rudy Villanueva without whose encouragement and help, the book and CD would never have come to be. She was also encouraged by STC directress Sr. Merced to have her songs in print, for her golden jubilee and for STC’s diamond jubilee year celebrations.
The book ends with six of Sr. Ofelia’s poems, the first of which is about her father, Col. Ramon Ibañez, a Bataan Death March survivor. And the last, is for her sister Lydia, on Lydia’s receiving the Perlas Award.
“Songs in the Web of Life,” the book and accompanying CD, will have a formal launching on June 21 in St. Theresa’s College. The songbook, writes Sr. Consuelo Varela, ICM, her classmate, friend and co-sister, tells of Sr. Ofelia as “always a gentle soul, a loving companion to many friends and her co-sisters. Sister Ofelia proclaims her reflections in words and songs in this truly wonderful book.” For Sr. Ofelia, the songs in the book “are praise and thanksgiving for all God’s gifts.
All is a gift. God sings in a grateful heart. I am grateful for His call and mission. It’s not important what we do. What we are today is what is important: the being rather than the doing:”
