Cecilia Espenilla

Last updated
Reverend Mother
Maria Cecilia Espenilla
O.P.
Cecilia Espenilla.jpg
TitleGeneral Prioress
(14 December 2021–present)
Personal life
Born
Cecilia Alcantara Espenilla

(1960-12-03) December 3, 1960 (age 64)
Masbate, Philippines
Nationality Filipino
Religious life
Religion Catholic
Order Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena
Senior posting
Present post
  • Main Animator, Talitha Kumi Philippines (2016–present)
  • Chairperson, Arise Philippines (2020–present)
  • Co-chairperson, Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines (2022–present)
Previous post
  • International Promoter of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (2017–2020) – Dominican Sisters International

Maria Cecilia Alcantara Espenilla, OP (born December 3, 1960) is a Filipino Roman Catholic religious sister, human rights activist and the current Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena. From 2017 to 2020, she worked as the International Promoter of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Dominican Sisters International Confederation. [1]

Contents

Biography

Espenilla was born in Masbate, Philippines to a devout Catholic household. Her father was a government official and her mother was a school teacher. [2] She was the seventh of eight children in the family: 5 boys and 3 girls. The second eldest became a diocesan priest. [3]

In 1975, before entering religious life in the Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena, Espenilla worked in the First United Bank in Manila. [3] [2] After her formation, she was assigned in various roles and responsibilities as Religion and Values Education teacher, School Treasurer, Principal and President of the College. [2] She obtained her bachelor's degree in accountancy at the University of Santo Tomas and earned a degree in theological studies from Ateneo de Manila University. [4]

In 2013 and 2014, Espenilla attended the sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57 and CSW58) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City representing Dominican Sisters International (DSI) Coordinator for Asia-Pacific. [2] In 2016, she was accepted as one of the 8 Fellows of the Center for Women of Faith and Leadership (CWFL) at the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) in Washington, D.C.. [5] She was invited as one of the main speakers to the 26th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) at the United Nations in Vienna, where she presented the topic "Human Trafficking: How Demand Creates Supply". [6] [5] Also in 2016, she was elected as the main animator of Talitha Kumi Philippines, an organization of consecrated religious that aims to counter human trafficking and abuses. [4]

From September 2017 until October 2020, Espenilla was appointed as the International Promoter of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation for the Dominican Sisters International (DSI). [3] [4] During her tenure, she advocated efforts and focus on ending human trafficking, encouraging religious communities around the world in getting involved in justice initiatives on an international and national level. [7]

Since October 2020, Espenilla took the leading role in Arise Philippines, a pioneer of the local and international anti-trafficking movement. [5] [8] In July 2022, she was elected, together with the Claretian priest Elias Ayuban Jr., as co-chairperson of the Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines (CMSP). [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine of Siena</span> Italian Dominican saint (1347–1380)

Caterina di Jacopo di Benincasa, TOSD, known as Catherine of Siena, was an Italian Catholic mystic and pious laywoman who engaged in papal and Italian politics through extensive letter-writing and advocacy. Canonized in 1461, she is revered as a saint and as a Doctor of the Church due to her extensive theological authorship. She is also considered to have influenced Italian literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominican Order</span> Catholic religious order

The Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominican Order, is a Catholic mendicant order of pontifical right that was founded in France by a Castilian priest named Dominic de Guzmán. It was approved by Pope Honorius III via the papal bull Religiosam vitam on 22 December 1216. Members of the order, who are referred to as Dominicans, generally display the letters OP after their names, standing for Ordinis Praedicatorum, meaning 'of the Order of Preachers'. Membership in the order includes friars, nuns, active sisters, and lay or secular Dominicans. More recently, there have been a growing number of associates of the religious sisters who are unrelated to the tertiaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siena College of Quezon City</span> Roman Catholic college in Quezon City, Philippines

Siena College of Quezon City is a private, sectarian, non-stock basic and higher education institution run by the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena in San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City, Philippines. It was established in 1959 by the Siena Sisters. The school offers tertiary education with degrees in Tourism, Business Administration, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Mass Communications, and Religious Education. It also offers pre-school, elementary, secondary education, and SPED.

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Dominic of St. Catherine of Siena is a Catholic religious institute for women founded in 1862 in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Dominican Sisters</span> Catholic institute in Michigan, US

The Adrian Dominican Sisters is a Catholic religious institute of Dominican sisters in the United States. Their motherhouse is in Adrian, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francisca del Espíritu Santo Fuentes</span> Filipino nun and Venerable

Francisca del Espíritu Santo de Fuentes was a Filipino Roman Catholic religious sister. She became the first prioress of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">María Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo</span> Filipino Dominican nun

María Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo y Pidal, religious name María Rosario of the Visitation, was a Filipino nun and the founder of the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines.

Notre Dame-Siena College of Polomolok is a private, Catholic, non-stock basic and higher education institution run by the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena in Polomolok, South Cotabato, Philippines. It was founded by the in 1957 and was named Notre Dame of Polomolok (NDP) but changed its name to Notre Dame-Siena College of Polomolok at the opening of its college department in 2004. Notre Dame-Siena College of Polomolok is a member of the Notre Dame Educational Association, a group of Notre Dame Schools in the Philippines under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The college offers a complete basic education and selected college education programs as follows:

Siena College of Taytay, also referred to by its acronym SCT, is a private, non-profit Catholic basic and higher education institution run by the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena in Taytay, Rizal, Philippines. It was named St. Catherine Academy at foundation in 1957 by the Dominican Sisters of Siena and it is one of six Dominican educational institutions in the Philippines. Its sister schools are Siena College of Quezon City, Siena College of San Jose, Siena College of Hermosa, and Siena College of Tigaon.

St. Michael Academy is a private, sectarian, non-stock Catholic secondary school in Catarman, Northern Samar, Philippines. It is the first and only Catholic learning institution established in the city, owned and operated by the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena - Philippines; thus, the only Dominican educational institution found in the Samar - Leyte region operating since 1946.

The Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena is a Dominican congregation of religious sisters under the patronage of St. Catherine of Siena. It was founded by Father Juan de Sto. Domingo, OP and Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo de Fuentes in 1696 for Spanish women only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominican Order in the United States</span>

The Dominican Order was first established in the United States by Edward Fenwick in the early 19th century. The first Dominican institution in the United States was the Province of Saint Joseph, which was established in 1805. Additionally, there have been numerous institutes of Dominican Sisters and Nuns.

The Dominican Sisters of Hope formed in 1995 from the merger of three Dominican congregations: the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Newburgh, New York (1883), the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena (1891) of Fall River, Massachusetts, and the Dominican Sisters of the Sick Poor (1910) of Ossining, NY. They sponsor Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh and Mariandale Retreat Center in Ossining. The Sisters minister in healthcare in New York City, and in education, social service and pastoral ministries.

The Dominican Sisters of Peace is a congregation of Dominican Sisters of apostolic life, founded on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009, from the union of seven former Dominican foundations. With general offices in Columbus, Ohio, the congregation holds legal incorporation in the state of Kentucky, home of the founding community of earliest historical origin. In 2012, following a vote by their General Chapter, the Dominican sisters of Catherine de' Ricci became the eighth foundation to join the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Catalina College</span> Roman Catholic college in Manila, Philippines

Santa Catalina College is a Roman Catholic, private institution that serves coeducational basic and higher education administered by the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, a religious congregation affiliated with the Dominican Order located in Sampaloc, Manila. It was originally established by the Siena Sisters in 1706.

The Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) is a non-profit, national human rights organization based in Manila, Philippines. It documents human rights violations, assists victims and their families, organizes missions, conducts human rights education work, campaigns against torture, and promotes advocacy for Human Rights Defenders and Environmental movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violeta Marcos</span> Catholic Filipina Augustine nun (1937–2001)

Maria Violeta Marcos, was a Filipino Roman Catholic nun. She was best known as the co-founder and first director of the Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines, and for her contributions to the resistance in opposition to the martial Law dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos - first through her diocesan social action involvements in Negros Occidental, and later as part of the human rights organization Task Force Detainees of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patricia Fox</span> Australian religious Sister of Sion

Patricia Fox is an Australian religious, a member of the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion. She is known for her ejection from the Philippines by president Rodrigo Duterte. Prior to this, she was the National Coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Eaton Smith</span> Roman Catholic nun and congregation founder.

Lucy Eaton Smith, OP (1845-1894), known in religion as Mother Mary Catherine De Ricci of the Sacred Heart, was an American Catholic nun who founded the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de' Ricci, a pontifical institute in Albany, New York.

References

  1. ↑ "Interview with Sister Cecilia Espenilla OP". International Union Superiors General. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Sr. Cecilia Espenilla, OP". Institute for Global Engagement. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "An Interview with Sr. Cecilia Espenilla, OP". catholicprofiles.org. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Filipino Dominican sister named int'l promoter of peace and justice". The Varsitarian. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Arise opens office in the Philippines to combat child trafficking". arisedn.org. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "List of Participants – Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (26th session;22-26 May 2017)" (PDF). unodc.org. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  7. ↑ Katie Beckmann (18 June 2019). "Embracing Faith Through Advocacy – International Justice Leader Visits Blauvelt". opblauvelt.org. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Sr. Cecilia Espenilla of Arise on Awareness of Human Trafficking". EWTN. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  9. ↑ Leslie Ann Aquino (15 July 2022). "Espenilla elected co-chairperson of CMSP". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.