“I’m confident that together we will work diligently for the Kingdom of God”
Mother Margarita Maturana, May 19, 1927
In the little Basque town of Berriz, the Mercedarian Sisters lived a cloistered life of prayer. When the Sisters needed to better financially support themselves, they decided to open a girls’ boarding school. This eventually was a fortuitous event, which led to greater changes in this humble convent tucked away in the hills of Northern Spain.
Pilar Maturana (later Mother Margarita) became a boarder at the Berriz Convent School. It was there at the age of 16 at a retreat given by Fr. Olasagarre, S.J. that she felt called by God to be a religious and enter the convent of Berriz. Sharing with her mother this call, she was instructed to wait until she was 19, which she did. A couple of years after professing her vows, Mother Margarita herself, became a teacher in the school.
It is an astonishing story to learn how the cloistered community of the Mercedarian Sisters of Berriz opened the doors of their convent to establish missions in China, Saipan, Japan and the Caroline Islands. It is a beautiful story and more importantly it is our story because 90 years ago on March 4, 1928 these sisters from Berriz arrived on our shores.
The story of Berriz and the Jesuits links generous souls desirous of building God’s Kingdom and this is exactly how it happened. One day, in 1919, a Jesuit Priest, Father Jose de Vidaurrazaga, stopped at the school to share with the girls about missionary life. Father Vidaurrazaga, S.J. was on his way back to his mission in Wuhu, China. It was not uncommon to see Jesuit priests in Northern Spain, since the Jesuits were founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola, and the town of Loyola is not very far away from Berriz. However, the encounter of hearing first hand stores of life in the missions left quite an impression, which would begin unexpected changes in the school and convent.
Meanwhile, in 1920 a request was made to Rome by Admiral Shinjiro Yamamoto (then a legate to the Vatican), to send religious orders to the islands in the Pacific. Pope Benedict XV asked for help but four different religious orders turned down the request. The Pope then turned to the Jesuits, who by virtue of their fourth vow, accept special missions from the Pontiff and they assumed the responsibility. The mission was turned over to the Spanish Assistancy, and the following year twenty-two Jesuits set sail to the beautiful Pacific to build up the Christian communities. On March 2, 1921 the first Jesuit missionaries arrived on Saipan. Father Dionisio de la Fuente and Brother Gregorio Oroquieta are among those Jesuits who in 1928 would welcome the Mercedarian Sisters to Saipan.
The missionary visit in 1919 to the Berriz school was the beginning of much activity, interest, and spiritual growth for Mother Margarita and the girls. Mother Margarita kept learning more and more about the missions. She requested materials to teach the girls more about the missions from another Jesuit priest, Fr. Jose Zameza who was very involved in the missionary organizations of the Jesuit Fathers. Mother Margarita was so deeply moved with a missionary spirit that she wrote in her journal what she was teaching the girls:
The whole world is a great family of the children of God. We are his favorite children since we live in his house, the Church. Those who do not have faith are also the beloved children of God, but who live far from him and neither know nor love him. Our job is to look for these missing brothers and sisters and have them know and love Jesus, with whatever means we have at our disposal. Who can say that he loves Jesus if he doesn’t work to transmit His love? (November 28, 1921)
Mother Margarita desired with all her heart to do God’s will in everything she did, even the little things. She always listened, prayed and opened her heart to what she thought God was asking her. She began to feel something happening and wrote:
I wonder what God has planned for the future of this house. There is something that I can discern, although perhaps it’s only in my dreams, born from my growing love of mission. I am praying a lot for the Lord to call upon us to go do great works as service to Him and for His glory. How fortunate are those whom He chooses to work and suffer for his Kingdom! (December 1, 1921)
Mother Margarita began to confide in Fr. Zameza, S.J., about the feelings she was having. Fr. Zameza guided her and later on Mother Margarita writes that she would never be able to repay Fr. Zameza for his help and guidance. At the end of August of 1924, the Father General of the Mercedarian Order visited the Sisters in Berriz. They shared their desire of becoming missionary sisters and of wanting to send Sisters to Wuhu, China to help Fr. Vidaurrazaga, S.J., Mother Margarita had stayed in constant communication with Fr. Vidaurrazaga and the girls had raised funds to help support the missions in China. Everything progressed very quickly from then on. The Father General met with the Pope to inform him of the plans of the Mercedarian Sisters to help in the missions. The Pope was very happy and sent his blessings. Soon afterward, in February of 1925, Bishop Vicente Huarte, S.J., Vicar Apostolate of Anhui, accepted the Mercedarian Sisters to work in Wuhu, China.
On September 19, 1926, the first group of Sisters left Spain for China. Just weeks later Father Zameza began correspondence with Father Guimera, S.J., proxy for the mission in the Caroline Islands, expressing the desire of the Mercedarian Sisters to establish a mission in the islands of the Pacific.
1927 becomes a very important year in the history of the Mercedarian Sisters. The first expedition of sisters arrive in China, Mother Margarita is elected Mother Superior and Father Zameza informs the Sisters that Bishop Rego, S.J., has accepted the Sisters to do missionary work in the Carolines. They immediately receive many letters from the Jesuit Priests and Brothers in the Carolines, informing the Sisters that they are very happy with the news. Mother Margarita could not overcome the impulse of going there. The call was stronger than herself. At one point, when they were short of personnel for Wuhu, she told the sisters that one mission was enough. She told them not to even think of any more missions, that it would be enough if this one turned out well. But, following the call, Mother Margarita prophetically wrote:
I’m confident that together we will work diligently for the Kingdom of God. I carry these islands in my heart and I have a huge penchant for this mission. This is not something recent, but rather something that I have felt for many years now. They are small islands that are very poor and lack so much. Due to the war in Europe, they were left without missionaries. (May 19, 1927)
In October of 1927, four Mercedarian Sisters departed Spain for the Carolines. Initially, they believed they were on their way to Ponape( Pohnpei). But, the Lord had other plans. Bishop Rego, S.J., decided instead to send the Sisters to Saipan. On their way, they made port in Shanghai, China, where they rested and picked up Sr. Aurora Chopitea. Sister Aurora had been in China for a few months. Soon the five sisters set sail for Saipan.
1928 On March 4th of this year, the Pacific Missions became a reality for the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz. The five sisters; Loreto Zubia, Inocencia Urizar, Pilar Lorenzo, Maria Teresa Cortazar and Aurora Chipotea alight from their long journey to Saipan. After a wonderful island style welcoming, the sisters began the task of setting up their new mission. The Jesuit priests and brothers who had waited in anticipation for their arrival, also worked side by side with the sisters to make the mission a reality.
Father Dionisio de la Fuente, S.J., Pastor of Mt. Carmel Church (then located in Garapan), was instrumental in getting the islanders to help the sisters build and support the new mission as well.
On November 2, 1928, Mother Margarita, Bishop Santiago Lopez de Rego, S.J., and Father Carlos Faber, S.J., arrived on Saipan, and were very impressed with the girl’s school which consisted of Chamorro, Carolinian and Japanese girls. In fact, they were entirely taken in by the wonderful reception.
In the same month, four Mercedarian sisters departed for the Carolines to finally establish a mission in Ponape (Pohnpei). The school in Wuhu, China had just opened and now, Mother Margarita was also being asked by Father Carlos Faber, S.J., to open a mission in Tokyo. The Jesuits continued to invite the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz to be part of their missionary work. In Spain the Jesuits, especially Father Pedro Vidal, S.J., and Father Jose Zameza, S.J., continued to help Mother Margarita formulate the Constitutions to transform the cloistered convent to a Missionary Institute. Father Vicente Guimera, S.J., who was assigned to fundraising for the missions in the islands, also assisted the sisters in their missionary endeavors.
1930 Rome gave permission to transform into a Missionary Institute, and the Constitutions were approved. In it the Redeeming Missionary Charism of the Institute is forever defined and the fourth vow becomes “to give my life, if necessary for the redemption of souls.”
1933 On October 21, 1933, Mother Margarita journeyed to Rome to celebrate the Jubilee Year of Redemption. With her eyes fixed on the Redemption of Christ, this was a time of supreme joy.
October 28th included a private audience with the Pope Pius XI. Mother Margarita presented him with a beautiful album of the Institute, bound in white leather with the Papal Coat of Arms. Mother Margarita thanked him for his blessing and encouragement. With further compliments and blessings for their missions from the Pope, Mother Margarita said: “We felt enraptured in joy.”
The next day, October 29th, was a visit to the Father General of the Jesuits. Mother Margarita was impressed with the greatness of the Father General’s soul and how attentive and understanding he was to them. Before she left, Mother Margarita presented the Jesuits with the Institute’s Letter of Fraternity, thanking them for the innumerable favors they owed the Jesuits.
She also visited the Gregorian University, and Father Vidal, and likewise left him a certificate of brotherhood in the name of the entire Institute, in gratitude for the collaboration of the canonist in writing of the Constitutions of the new missionary congregation.
Mother Margarita loved the Society of Jesus all her life. The Society had guided her and made possible the missionary desires planted in her heart. In the 1930’s when the government threatened the expulsion of all religious orders in Spain, she wrote to an alumna:
Society of Jesus…in my poor prayers, I ask God to multiply this prodigy of grace, keeping it in the fervor which Saint Ignatius created it, and which it still retains until now.
We can see that the legacy of the Mercedarian Mission in Saipan, and the missions throughout the Pacific and Pacific Rim, were also the legacy of the Jesuits. The Jesuit priests and the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz, have exemplified teamwork at its finest. This special bond between the Jesuits and the Mercedarians, which began with the Foundress of the Mercedarian Missionaries, Mother Margarita, has lasted throughout the years and is an integral part of the history of the Church in the Pacific.
Saipan was the first Mercedarian Mission in the Pacific Islands. The amazing faith journey of a simple cloistered nun to what she considered “the ends of the earth,” has become a 90 year faith journey for the people of Saipan as well.
Today, the Mercedarian Sisters run the Maturana House of Prayer, a retreat center, where both individuals and groups, including the Mercedarians and Jesuits, gather to renew their spirit through prayer.
While Saipan has had years when there wasn’t a Jesuit presence, and the Jesuits from New York have taken over from the Spanish Jesuits, Bishop Emeritus Tomas Camacho (first Bishop of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa), felt it was important to always have a Jesuit presence on Saipan. At the invitation of Bishop Camacho, Saipan has been graced with Jesuits; Father Gary Bradley, Father Joseph Billotti, Father Kenneth Urumolug, and presently Father Kenneth Hezel.
As we celebrate the 90 years of blessings bestowed on this island through the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz, we also celebrate and give thanks to the Jesuits, who in God’s infinite plan, fostered the reality of Mother Margarita’s dreams.
