How did the Devotion of the Holy Face reach the Philippines?

Victorina Laxamana Vicente, nicknamed Turing, was born on March 23, 1921 and was the 7^th child among the 11 siblings of Maximo Vicente Sr., a known sculptor, and Crispina Laxamana, a landed principalia in San Luis, Pampanga. Thirteen years and six infant deaths passed before she was born and being the eldest and an only girl, she was truly pampered from birth.  She was a frail child and cannot walk even at 2 years old and so her pious parents prayed hard for her health. At the Cradle of Colegio de Sta. Rosa “At the age of four, I had a very high fever which they said could have killed me.  A celadora of Lourdes Church gave me Lourdes water, and this saved my life. I was enrolled at Colegio de Sta. Rosa, and my yaya always brought a basketful of medicine – the Madres said – because I was so thin and pale, and never smiled…The sisters gave me extra merienda, and I was the pet of the kitchen Madre. The sisters at Sta. Rosa loved me and often joked: “What are you a statue?”  Then I answered silently by tapping on my lap to show that I am not a statue but a living creature.” (Memoirs of Mo. Therese on her childhood)

Ligion of Mary
Despite the perils (war) she zealously promoted the Legion in both Quiapo and San Miguel.  “She had no qualms entering squatter and shanties—even if she was the daughter of the Don Maximo Vicente.” “I was made the next Curia President (in 1942)… This made me travel all the way walking from Quiapo, Binondo, Sta. Cruz – in spite of Japanese. Several times we felt the hand of God saving us from them, especially when I organized the Inter Parish Catechetical Convention, I was called to Fort Santiago to report… Another special incident was my extending the Legion in Pampanga.  I rode the truck with Huks but they never molested me as I spoke Pampango.  The first Praesidia in the land of the Huks was established thanks to Mama Mary.” (Memoirs, March 10, 1980)
At the same time that Victorina was involved in these apostolic endeavors during the war, she was discerning her calling.  She sensed that she was meant to follow St. Therese, her favorite saint, as a Carmelite nun but  in 1937, however, Fr. Francis Cosgrave, CSsR (Redemptorist SD) counseled her to enter the Canonesses of St. Augustine (ICM sisters now) who was running St. Theresa’s College because of her active disposition.  It was not realized though due to war and tragedy that befell Fr. Cosgrave in 1945.  Several months after the war, her new SD, Fr. Artemio Casas changed the future of her vocation. Mo. Theresa of Jesus, OCD (1882-1958), affectionately called Ma Mere, Foundress of the discalced Carmelite nuns in the Philippines.  It was to her that Victorina frequented at the Carmelite Monastery at Gilmore Avenue, San Juan and to her that she revealed her desire to follow St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Carmel.  She entered Carmel of St. Therese in Quezon City (Gilmore) on May 30, 1946 and received her religious habit. But on the following day, she, along with 4 others, were flown by an army plane to Batangas to establish the Carmel in Lipa. She received the name Sr. Mary Therese of the Sacred Heart during her clothing day. (In the picture, conspicuously absent from those who accompanied her was her mother who could not accept her daughter’s decision to enter the Monastery).

In 1965 Sr. Therese began to discern a powerful “interior urge to make Mary known as Mother and to preserve the pristine beauty of religious life.”  It was during the holy retreat, on January 1966, that she opened this interior urge to Bishop Xavier Labayen, OCD, who in turn attested that there was nothing against the spirit and she could pray for God’s will.  “I am now between two roads, not knowing which she (our Blessed Mother) truly prefers – CARMEL OR THE LAND OF THE UNKNOWN.”  After much prayer, reflection and consultation with the community confessor, Fr. John Mary Chin, OCD, Bishop Labayen and Msgr. Casas, Sr. Therese became thoroughly convinced that it was the will of God for her. They told about it to Archbishop Emilio Cinense of San Fernando; and she was asked to write Rome for a three-year period of exclaustration to try this mission. Her superior consented and assured her that in the event that she failed, she could come back to Carmel. Recognizing an insatiable call to proclaim Mary as “Mother,” Sr. Mary Therese consulted Bishops Casas and Julio Xavier Labayen, and her confessor Fr. John Mary Chin, OCD, who unanimously agreed that she was being called to found a congregation of her own.  After receiving the permission of the Father General of the Discalced Carmelites in Rome and of the Archbishop of San Fernando, Sr. Mary Therese left the cloisters on July 1966. Foundation of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church  “I arrived Naga on August 5 with my brother and his wife…I was brought to Colegio de Sta. Isabel where I was immediately given shelter by a former teacher of mine in Sta. Rosa College…I consulted Archbishop Alberto as to the name of the congregation, telling him what I have in mind was “Daughters of Mary, Mother of God and Mother of Men.”  He said that he finds it too long a title.  He instructed me to see him after a week…I returned to him on August 15 and he said: “You will be called Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church.”  Thus was born a new congregation of religious women…We were formally established on October 11, 1966.”

It was in 1963 when the Archbishop had the idea of putting up a congregation that would teach religion particularly in public schools and Providence sent him Sr. Mary Therese.  As his Excellency reiterated, “I was the one who conceived the congregation with the help of Sr. Therese. This is how the Daughters of Mary came to be.”  

The Daughters of Mary as a congregation of women felt the motherly role of Mary and lived it out through the catechetical works and formation of Basic Ecclesial Communities wherever they may be. 

Sr. Therese was appointed the first superior general on October 11, 1966 which she occupied until May 1977.

While assigned at Quiapo, Manila, Mo. Therese encountered the Zaragozas who introduced her to the Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus.  She was just asked to help in spreading the devotion but it led her to be attracted to it herself because many people were led to conversion.  She studied about the devotion and consulted Fr. Solh Saez whom she met in Naga.  She learned a lot from him since, providentially, he had been already making a research on the Holy Face for almost ten years then. As they met again in January 1977 in Naga City, Mo. Therese revealed again the interior happenings in her life. They both agreed to put all things in God’s hands as it might just be a temptation.  The conversation with Fr. Solh made possible the following:  in thinking of a name for the foundation, Sr. Mary Therese was choosing between the Veronicas of the Holy Face, and Crusaders or Missionaries of the Holy Face. Fr. Solh had another book from Philadelphia – “Devotion to the Holy Face” which mentioned Mo. Pierina de Micheli as Missionary of the Holy Face and sponsor of the Holy Face medal.  So the name of the new foundation would be MISSIONARIES OF THE HOLY FACE. It became clear to Mo. Therese that there would be three groups to be put up for the association of reparation which were interiorly revealed to her, and these were:

1. A contemplative group
2. Active sisters to be called Missionary Sisters of the Holy Face of Jesus
3. Lay group auxiliaries to be called Crusaders of the Holy Face of  Jesus (auxiliaries to the religious group); or anyone who wishes to wear the medal would be one of the Devotees of the Holy Face of Jesus

She died a Holy  death sharing the passion of the Lords wound around her body the scourging of the pillar, she suffered from diabetes which complicate her heart and this leads her home to the Eternal Father. she bore every pain in silent and in love to Jesus.