Mother Ascensión Nicol Goñi
Encyclopedia
Blessed
María Ascensión Nicol y Goñi, O.P.
, (14 March 1868 – 24 February 1940) was a Spanish
Roman Catholic Religious Sister of the Third Order of St. Dominic, having previously been a cloistered nun of the Dominican Second Order
. She co-founded and was the first Prioress General of the Congregation of Dominican Missionary Sisters of the Rosary, which she helped to found in Peru
.
, Navarre
, in Spain
, the youngest of four children.
Florentina was educated at Saint Rose of Lima Dominican boarding school in Huesca
, where she was first introduced to the religious life
, which raised questions in her mind about her future. Returning home for a year to reflect on her choices, she later returned to the monastery and became a nun of the Dominican Second Order
in 1885, taking the name "Mary Ascension of the Sacred Heart". She became a teacher at that school in 1886 and served in that capacity for the next 27 years. Under the anti-clerical laws promulgated in the early 20th century, however, in 1913 the Spanish government took over the school and expelled the Sisters.
Deprived of their traditional service, the nuns decided to act on a proposal they had long considered, namely, missionary
service, about which they had learned from the periodicals issued by various missionary congregations. They wrote to ecclesiastical authorities in both America and the Philippines, seeking a field where they could help the poorest of the poor. The response came from Friar Ramón Zubieta, O.P., who was the head of the Dominican missions in the Philippines. He had just been appointed by the Holy See
as the Apostolic Vicar of a new Vicariate in the remote Andean
mountains of Peru
. The friar had traveled to Rome
for his consecration
as a bishop. After his stay in Rome, he stopped in Huesca to speak with the Sisters to see if he would be able to get some of the community to help in his new responsibility. Five of the nuns who volunteered for this mission were chosen, with Mother Ascension chosen to lead them.
on 30 December 1913. When they arrived in Lima, they were given hospitality by the Dominican nuns of the Convent at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Patronage , of which they took possession the following year. After a two-year period of cultural acclimation and preparation for the mission, Mother Ascension set off in 1915 with two other nuns for their final destination in the mountain forests. After a journey of 24 days crossing the Andes to a region where white women had never before travelled, the nuns arrived in Puerto Maldonado
, a small village in the Amazon basin
, situated between two large rivers, the Madre de Dios
and the Tambopata
, along which all communication took place.
Within three days of their arrival, the nuns began teaching the girls of the region and started the construction of a school. Soon girls from the indigenous
Baraya tribe
starting coming from the forest to receive the education they offered. Mother Ascension made it clear that they would be welcome in their classrooms. This was despite the hostility of the white plantation workers who formed the population of the town.
The lack of any organized health care led the poor and the sick to come to the nuns for care. The Sisters responded to this need, caring for them in their own convent, when necessary. They began to visit the sick in their homes, and provide whatever rudimentary care they could. Eventually, the Sisters would expand into medical care as a new apostolate
. This pattern was repeated as other communities of Sisters were established in the region.
of the Dominican Order, the nuns, under the auspices of Bishop Zubieta, decided to separate from the monastic community from which they had come and to form a new and independent Congregation of Religious Sisters of the Dominican Third Order.
The new Congregation was formally established on 5 October 1918 at the Convent of Our Lady of the Patronage in Lima. Mother Ascension was elected as the first Prioress General of the Congregation, and served in that office the rest of her life. She died in Lima on 24 February 1940. Today the Congregation has 785 missionaries in 21 nations, with its Motherhouse
in Madrid
, Spain.
of Mother Ascension was opened in Pamplona
, Spain, in September 1962. Pope John Paul II declared her Venerable
in 2003. The following year a miracle
was declared to have taken place through her intercession
, due to which Pope Benedict XVI
authorized the process to proceed. Thus, on 15 May 2005, in St. Peter's Square, Mother Ascension was declared Blessed
in a ceremony presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F.
.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
María Ascensión Nicol y Goñi, O.P.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, (14 March 1868 – 24 February 1940) was a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
Roman Catholic Religious Sister of the Third Order of St. Dominic, having previously been a cloistered nun of the Dominican Second Order
Second Order (religious)
When referring to Roman Catholic religious orders, the term Second Order refers to those Orders of cloistered nuns which are a part of the mendicant Orders that developed in the Middle Ages.-St. Dominic:...
. She co-founded and was the first Prioress General of the Congregation of Dominican Missionary Sisters of the Rosary, which she helped to found in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
Background
She was born Florentina Nicol y Goñi on 14 March 1868 in TafallaTafalla
Tafalla is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:**...
, Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the youngest of four children.
Florentina was educated at Saint Rose of Lima Dominican boarding school in Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
, where she was first introduced to the religious life
Consecrated life (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, the term "consecrated life" denotes a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way recognized by the Church...
, which raised questions in her mind about her future. Returning home for a year to reflect on her choices, she later returned to the monastery and became a nun of the Dominican Second Order
Second Order (religious)
When referring to Roman Catholic religious orders, the term Second Order refers to those Orders of cloistered nuns which are a part of the mendicant Orders that developed in the Middle Ages.-St. Dominic:...
in 1885, taking the name "Mary Ascension of the Sacred Heart". She became a teacher at that school in 1886 and served in that capacity for the next 27 years. Under the anti-clerical laws promulgated in the early 20th century, however, in 1913 the Spanish government took over the school and expelled the Sisters.
Deprived of their traditional service, the nuns decided to act on a proposal they had long considered, namely, missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
service, about which they had learned from the periodicals issued by various missionary congregations. They wrote to ecclesiastical authorities in both America and the Philippines, seeking a field where they could help the poorest of the poor. The response came from Friar Ramón Zubieta, O.P., who was the head of the Dominican missions in the Philippines. He had just been appointed by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
as the Apostolic Vicar of a new Vicariate in the remote Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountains of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. The friar had traveled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for his consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
as a bishop. After his stay in Rome, he stopped in Huesca to speak with the Sisters to see if he would be able to get some of the community to help in his new responsibility. Five of the nuns who volunteered for this mission were chosen, with Mother Ascension chosen to lead them.
New horizons
The five nuns left Huesca during November 1913, accompanied by the bishop and three other friars who were to serve his territory, landing in Peru at the Port of CallaoCallao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
on 30 December 1913. When they arrived in Lima, they were given hospitality by the Dominican nuns of the Convent at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Patronage , of which they took possession the following year. After a two-year period of cultural acclimation and preparation for the mission, Mother Ascension set off in 1915 with two other nuns for their final destination in the mountain forests. After a journey of 24 days crossing the Andes to a region where white women had never before travelled, the nuns arrived in Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado is a city in Southeastern Peru in the Amazon forest west of the Bolivian border on the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios River, a tributary of the Amazon River. It is the capital of the Madre de Dios Region....
, a small village in the Amazon basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
, situated between two large rivers, the Madre de Dios
Madre de Dios
Madre de Dios is a fairly common Spanish designation for the Virgin Mary, literally meaning "mother of God". It can refer to:-Places:* Madre de Dios Island, Chile* Madre de Dios Mine, Chile* Madre de Dios Province, Bolivia* Madre de Dios Region, Peru...
and the Tambopata
Tambopata
Tambopata can refer to any of the following entities:*Tambopata Province in the department of Madre de Dios in south-eastern Peru*Tambopata River, a tributary to the Madre de Dios River*Tambopata-Candamo reserve, adjacent to the Tambopata River...
, along which all communication took place.
Within three days of their arrival, the nuns began teaching the girls of the region and started the construction of a school. Soon girls from the indigenous
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
Baraya tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
starting coming from the forest to receive the education they offered. Mother Ascension made it clear that they would be welcome in their classrooms. This was despite the hostility of the white plantation workers who formed the population of the town.
The lack of any organized health care led the poor and the sick to come to the nuns for care. The Sisters responded to this need, caring for them in their own convent, when necessary. They began to visit the sick in their homes, and provide whatever rudimentary care they could. Eventually, the Sisters would expand into medical care as a new apostolate
Apostolates
Apostolates are organizations of the Catholic laity devoted to the mission of the Catholic Church.-Explanation:Most understand the term "apostolate" to be synonymous with the term ministry, or outreach, such as "youth ministry." The disambiguation is seen when one considers that within Catholic...
. This pattern was repeated as other communities of Sisters were established in the region.
Establishing the Congregation
In 1917, the Catholic Church established a new Code of Canon Law, which was the first organized juridical codification of the regulations for many aspects of the Church's life and functioning. One of the effects was reinforcing the separation of cloistered communities. These new regulations would have severely hampered the work the nuns were undertaking. At the suggestion of the Master GeneralMaster general
Master general or Master-general can refer to:* the Superior general of certain orders and congregations, such as**the Crosiers**the Dominicans **the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy...
of the Dominican Order, the nuns, under the auspices of Bishop Zubieta, decided to separate from the monastic community from which they had come and to form a new and independent Congregation of Religious Sisters of the Dominican Third Order.
The new Congregation was formally established on 5 October 1918 at the Convent of Our Lady of the Patronage in Lima. Mother Ascension was elected as the first Prioress General of the Congregation, and served in that office the rest of her life. She died in Lima on 24 February 1940. Today the Congregation has 785 missionaries in 21 nations, with its Motherhouse
Motherhouse
The term motherhouse is used by religious Orders and religious congregations to designate the principal house or community for that group. It can be either for the entire institute or for a region....
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain.
Beatification
The formal process for the canonizationCanonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
of Mother Ascension was opened in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, Spain, in September 1962. Pope John Paul II declared her Venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
in 2003. The following year a miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
was declared to have taken place through her intercession
Intercession
Intercession is the act of interceding between two parties. In both Christian and Islamic religious usage, it is a prayer to God on behalf of others....
, due to which Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
authorized the process to proceed. Thus, on 15 May 2005, in St. Peter's Square, Mother Ascension was declared Blessed
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
in a ceremony presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F.
Claretians
The Claretians, a community of Roman Catholic priests and brothers, were founded by Saint Anthony Claret in 1849. They strive to follow their founder's “on fire” example and help wherever they are needed. Their ministries are highly diverse and vary depending on the needs of the area. They focus...
.
External links
- Catholic Forum "Blessed Florentina Nicol Goñi" http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintf4d.htm
- Agenzia Fides "Mother Ascensión Nicol Goñi" http://www.fides.org/eng/approfondire/2005/bnicolag_01.html