Maria Beatriz Del Rosario Arroyo

Infobox Saint
name=Maria Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo
birth_date=17 February 1884
death_date=14 June 1957
feast_day=14 June
venerated_in=Roman Catholic Church


imagesize=170px
birth_place=Molo, Iloilo, Philippines flagicon|Philippines
death_place=Molo, Iloilo, Philippines flagicon|Philippines
titles=founder
declare Servant of God_date=
declare Servant of God_place=
declare Servant of God_by=
attributes=
patronage=
major_shrine=
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issues=
prayer=

Maria Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo (Maria Rosario of the Visitation) (February 17, 1884 - June 14, 1957) was a Filipino nun 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, Iloilo 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. Senator Arroyo and spouse Jesusa Lacson from Negros Occidental had 7 children, one of whom was Ignacio Arroyo (father of Philippine First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo).

She joined the the Manila Beaterio de Sta. Catalina and to become nun on January 3, 1914. She 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 to the poor. She became a nun in the Dominican Order. cite web
accessdate=2008-03-22
url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=3348&size=
title= Mother Rosario Arroyo, a Dominican nun, is closer to beatification
publisher=Asia News] With the help of two other Dominican nuns, Arroyo would eventually create the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary, a Filipino 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 odor 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 Philippine President 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. [ [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/101702/Mike-Arroyos-kin-may-become-a-saint---report GMA NEWS.TV, Mike Arroyo's kin may become a saint - report] ]

Beatification Process

Arroyo is currently in consideration for sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church with several miracles being investigated which are attributable to her. .

Mother Rosario Arroyo Commission

Sister Leonor Gerlito, 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." The closest living relative to Mother Rosario, is her niece Mariquita Arroyo Tuell, age 79, from Indiana, USA. Mariquita also has two children, Anne Walsh of Elizabeth, Indiana and Dr. Chris Tuell of Cincinnati, Ohio USA, grandniece and grandnephew of Mother Rosario.

References

External links

* [http://www.dominicansisters-molophil.org.ph/ Domican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines]
* [http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1957.htm New Saints website]