Streetlight: A Princess bears her Cross
2 MIN READ
By MARIANNE LORENZO
She is fondly called Princess by her family. She is a generous friend who always brings something to share – be it the bromate-free pandesal, yummy pan de coco, cookies and other goodies. She offers her plants from her herbal garden as a symbol of hope. She offers her space to those who need shelter and tranquillity.
Princess is a teacher. In her early years, she gathered the children in her neighborhood, in a small community at the foot of the Sierra Madre. She taught catechism, brought the children to church and offered flowers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She pursued this career and became a grade school teacher with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education specializing in Early Childhood Education.
Princess is a nun. While teaching in a Catholic institution, a deeper calling led her to the path only a few have chosen. She fell in love with Jesus and eventually committed to the vows of poverty, service and celibacy. While fulfilling her obligations to her convent and community, she worked among slum dwellers at the Singalong area in Manila, visiting them in their homes and providing them values education. She obediently pursued the call of the church to go to the people.
Princess is an activist. When Martial Law was declared she was bombarded with water hose twice in public demonstrations. In one occasion, she went back to her convent without her pair of shoes and veil and wet all over while her companions were taken to Camp Crame. Even in the middle of the night, she would be awakened by urban poor residents, asking for shelter due to harassments and zoning. Despite the risk, she sheltered them secretly.
Princess is contemplative. It is in deep prayer that she gets her strength and nourishment and love. She sees and takes things and everything in its inter-relatedness, in its wholeness. Thus life is ever beautiful, challenging and meaningful.
Princess is 70 years old. She is now in Baguio supposedly to retire but she is unstoppable. Be it in a forum/discussion, planning meeting, rally and ecumenical gathering she is always there to contribute to the success of the activity. She usually troops other nuns from different congregations; she is like a shepherd to them tending her flock towards the people. She believes that the church must not remain merely as an organizational structure but must be rooted among the people.
At 70, Princess says, “The needs and thirst of our people for total salvation is everywhere. Everywhere I go, these needs and thirst are there – a whisper that keeps on humming in my ears and in my heart- even when I am already in my old age and supposed to be retired.” Who can really run away? Who can really close their eyes and play dumb and deaf to the cries that are reaching to heaven?
She is Princess – not from the fairy tales but from the real world. She journeys with the people towards the Kingdom of God by consistently working for peace and justice. She knows that her journey with the people is risky and it will lead her to the cross. But she said, “in the cross is life and salvation.”
To Princess and to the many servants of God and His people, thank you for the prophetic witnessing, thank you for bringing the church closer to the people. #
