A senior Catholic prelate led the golden jubilee celebration of three Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) sisters on Friday, praising their five decades of consecrated life and calling them and the faithful to recommit to the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary: humility, obedience and holiness.
Speaking during Mass on the Feast of the Assumption, Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, archbishop emeritus of Cotabato, offered heartfelt congratulations to the jubilarians and reminded them of the ideals they embraced 50 years ago.
“As our three sisters strive daily to achieve the fullest they can — to be obedient, to be humble, and to be holy — so we too in our own lives need to strive to the best of our ability, with God’s grace to help us,” Quevedo said in his homily at the RVM Generalate’s Our Lady of the Assumption Chapel in Quezon City.
He emphasized that these three virtues — modeled by Mary throughout her life — are not only essential to the consecrated life, but also central to Christian discipleship.
Citing the day’s liturgical readings, particularly the depiction of Mary in the Book of Revelation as “a woman clothed with the sun, crowned with twelve stars,” he said the crown symbolizes not just the twelve tribes of Israel, but all of humanity. Mary, he said, stands as the model for the Church and for all believers.
The cardinal highlighted Mary’s humility in accepting God’s will, her obedience even in times of suffering, and her holiness rooted in total fidelity to God — traits he urged the jubilarians to continue living out.
He noted that these virtues can only be fully lived through grace, not human strength alone.
“We cannot be holy by our own human striving. Only with God’s grace can we be lifted up when we fall,” he said.
Quevedo also reflected on the Catholic doctrine of the Assumption, affirming the Church’s belief that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven, a sign of her full participation in the resurrection of Christ.
The celebration honored Sr. Maria Lolieta Ariza, Sr. Maria Consolacion Buenaventura, and Sr. Maria Fe Gerodias, who have served in various capacities across the RVM congregation’s ministries.
Buenaventura was unable to attend the Mass due to illness.
“We wish her speedy recovery and full recovery,” Quevedo said.
The RVM Sisters are part of the first Filipino-founded women’s religious institute, known for its educational, pastoral, and missionary work in the Philippines and abroad.
