This is just a short story on the holy life of Mother Braulia de Sta. Cruz, RVM. More research on her life is needed. Lets hope and pray that the RVM Sisters or someone else will be interested to write a book. Mother Braulia de Sta. Cruz, RVM, was a missionary, educator and a heroine. She was among the pioneering missionaries to Tamontaca, Cotabato in the Island of Mindanao, Philippines. Braulia was named after the great St. Braulio, bishop of Saragossa, Spain. She was born on March 26, 1856, to Timoteo de Sta. Cruz and Agustina de Rueda of Guingua, Bulacan now Plaridel, Bulacan. Her desire for religious life took her to the Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus upon the recommendation of her confessor, the Jesuit Father Villafranca. She was vested with the habit on Sunday, October 1, 1876. She made profession of vows in 1877, and in 1879 proceeded to Tamontaca, Cotabato. In the mission, Mother Braulias task was to care for the girls in the orphanage, teaching them the basic skills in education, and the work proper to women, without neglecting those necessary to become better Christians. It was one of those days when she took her turn to bring the girls to work in the fields when a Moro, facing disgrace for having been caught stealing a Carabao, went amok. Running close to where she was, the Moro gave her a blow which would have severed her head. Anticipating the blow, Mother Braulia had crouch so that the kris did not wound fatally. When the priest, the officer and the Jesuit Brother Vinola reached her, she was bathed in her own blood. Mother Braulia recovered from her wounds and resumed her care for the children, without the least thought of deserting her post. She impressed the missionaries with her generous spirit, begging her superiors to allow her to continue in the mission, ready to risk her life for her charges. In 1893 she had to return to the Beaterio in Manila, and she was given charge of the parlor in the Beaterio where she continued to serve ... In august 1898 General Aguinaldo requested for volunteer infermarians for the army from the religious community. Among the Sistsers who offered to serve was Mother Braulia. The revolutionary government converted the parish convent of barasoain into a hospital and here the Sisters served. In April 1900 the Sisters returned to the Beaterio .In 1904 Mother Braulia had to be confined to the Infirmary where she lived out the rest of her years until her death on November 26, 1930. There was no apparent agony in her last moments, but she remained tranquil and at peace. She was 74 years old, and 54 years as a religious.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 15:09:04 +0000
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