DOMINICAN Mother Maria Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo is now a step closer to being declared a “saint” by the Roman Catholic Church.
This, after Pope Francis has recognized that the Filipina nun had lived the Christian virtues in a heroic way and declared her as a “venerable.”
“A miracle would be needed in order for the nun to be beatified, which is the next step towards sainthood,” said CBCPNews.
“The pope would then have to recognize another miracle for her canonization,” added the official news agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
To note, being declared “venerable” is the second of four steps in the Church’s canonization process.
If Mother Arroyo’s Cause for Sainthood is successful, CBCPNews noted that she will be the first Filipina saint.
The Philippines already has two saints, namely Lorenzo Ruiz, who was canonized in 1987; and Pedro Calungsod, who was canonized in 2012.
Mother Arroyo was born on February 17, 1884 in Molo, Iloilo City.
She entered the religious life in Beaterio de Santa Catalina in Manila, made her profession on January 3, 1914, and later taught at the Beaterio of Manila in Pangasinan.
In 1925, she founded the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines in Iloilo City on February 18, 1927.
The congregation now has more than 200 missionaries spread in different provinces and even abroad.
Mother Arroyo died of heart failure on June 14, 1957.
To recall, retired Archbishop Angel Lagdameo had opened the cause for sainthood of Mother Arroyo in 2009. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)