Mother Ignacia Movement of Canada Organized

On December  10, 2004 during a meeting with Rev. Martin Carroll, pastor of St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church of Edmonton, the Mother Ignacia Movement of Canada was formally organized. Sister Maria Cornelia Ramirez, RVM, Adora Dolojan and Arli Opao were given permission by Father Martin to use one of the rooms at Saint Theresa’s Church as venue for upcoming meetings. The Mother Ignacia Movement is now included on the list of parish organizations published every week in the Church bulletin  and in  the parish brochure of activities. Meetings are on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The MIM officers and members  pray before the Blessed Sacrament and spend time for adoration before the meetings.
Now that Father Martin Carroll has recognized the Mother Ignacia Movement as one of the parish organizations at the Church of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, he has given the MIM a special place in the Church foyer to  put reading materials on Mother Ignacia and prayer leaflets for her beatification which people can pick up before or after daily Masses or weekend Masses.
On April 30 and May 1, 2005 the MIM officers and members will be selling religious articles after all the Masses. This is another chance to give out prayer leaflets for the beatification of Venerable Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo and to disseminate information about our Mother Foundress.
The officers and members of Mother Ignacia Movement pray for the beatification of Venerable Mother Ignacia work hand in hand with the Apostles of the Holy Face, another parish organization in Saint Theresa’s vibrant community. They reach out to others and commit themselves to evangelization … spreading the Good News and living out the Gospel through the practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. They distribute prayer leaflets for Venerable Mother Ignacia’s beatification when they visit the sick in nursing homes, hospitals and private homes. As Eucharisitc ministers, they  give Holy Communion to the shut-ins and seniors. They pray the rosary and prayers for the dead at the homes of the deceased and give monetary donations to those who desperately need help. MIM members also attend workshops on stewardship and strive to do simple acts of stewardship which reveal the presence of God in our midst.
Currently, the officers and members of the Apostles of the Holy Face and MIM are supporting  Saint Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church in the Spring projects:  parking lot repairs and Church floor replacement.  Monetary donations have already come from  United States benefactors and other sources. 
Sister Maria Cornelia Ramirez, RVM communicates with the MIM in the U.S. and regularly touch base with Ignacio Pecore to  update him  with  MIM happenings in Canada.

OUR GOALS: To spread information about Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo
To pray for Mother Ignacia’s beatification and eventual canonization as Saint Ignacia.
To reach out to others
To witness to God’s compassionate love for all
To do spiritual and corporal works of mercy in collaboration with the Apostles of the Holy Face of Jesus.

MOTHER IGNACIA’S BACKGROUND: Her father was Jusepe Iuco, a Chinese from Amoy, China. He converted to the Catholic faith in 1652 and lived in Binondo, Manila. Her mother was Maria Jeronima, a native Filipina.
Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo was baptized on March 4, 1663. She was baptized as Ignacia del Espiritu Santo by the Dominican missionary, Father Alberto Collares. Her last name is del Espiritu Santo, not Iuco, because it was customary among the pious parents at that time to give their children devotional name at Baptism.

WHAT DID MOTHER IGNACIA DO? When Ignacia was 21 years old, she had her retreat under the direction of Father Paul Klein, a Jesuit priest from Bohemia. After this period of prayer, she decided to serve God. Her life of prayer attracted the native women who also felt the call to the religious life. Mother Ignacia accepted these women and the first RVM community was born. Mother Ignacia organized the retreat movement in the Philippines and helped in the education ministry of the Catholic church.
In 1684 Mother Ignacia founded the Beatas de la Compania de Jesus now known as the
On July 6, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree that attests to the heroic virtues of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, Foundress of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM Sisters).
The community of the Religious of the Virgin Mary celebrated on Feb. 1, 2008 the promulgation from Rome of the Decree of Virtue of Venerable Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, Foundress of the RVM Sisters. Religious of the Virgin Mary, the first Filipino religious Congregation granted papal recognition. Mother Ignacia was the first Filipina to found a Congregation of religious women in the Philippines. Mother Ignacia and her beatas were observed as disciples of Christ serving God in all peoples. Let us pray that she, who made a significant difference in the society of her time, be an inspiration and a model for our youth of today who are searching for the meaning of life

VARIED MINISTRIES OF THE M.I.M OF CANADA: In gratitude for the abundant gifts God has given us, the members of the Mother Ignacia Movement return to Him the first fruits of these gifts through acts of service which we render to the sick, the hungry, the dying, the lonely, and all those who need prayers.
As we follow God faithfully, serve Him joyfully, give generously, live responsibly, we are mindful that our ministry is part of Stewardship.

AT ST. THERESA’S PARISH, WE: Serve all, especially the sick who need to be visited in the nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals.
Spread the Good News of God’s kingdom
Bring Holy Communion to the sick
Lead prayers at the homes of the family of deceased parishioners
Ask God for spiritual and temporal needs through Mother Ignacia’s intercession.
Manage the Little Flower Religious Store of St. Theresa’s Church in collaboration with the Apostles of the Holy Face of Jesus. For favors received, send a written testimony to the RVM Sisters at
2907 – 37A Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T6T 1H7
Canada
780-641- 5681