Five Jubilarians Honor Their Lifelong Calling to Religious Life

Coinciding with the 4th anniversary of the canonization of St. Anne-Marie Rivier and the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima, five Sisters of the Presentation of Mary celebrated their Golden and Diamond Jubilees in a joyful gathering on May 13, 2026, at the PM Sisters Chapel, Catalunan Grande, Davao City.

Marking up to six decades of steady commitment, Diamond Jubilarians Sr. Elenita Baguio, Sr. Adelaida Alemania, and Sr. Esther Buntag, alongside Golden Jubilarians Sr. Emilia Serena Mapayo and Sr. Noime Cabarles, gathered to renew their vows.

The celebration highlighted the profound journey of these women who boldly answered a divine call in their youth without knowing exactly where it would lead them. Stepping into a life of service, they embraced poverty, chastity, and obedience to become brides of Christ, dedicating their entire lives to teaching the youth and sharing the gospel.

“The fact that I thought of it was how I knew that God was calling me,” Sr. Elenita Baguio, now 85 years old, shared, noting that this persistent internal draw served as the earliest, undeniable sign of her lifelong vocation.

Following that quiet pull required immense trust. Leaving her family in Cebu, Sr. Elenita had assured her worried mother that she would simply return home if the convent was not her true path. Yet, like her fellow jubilarians who helped pioneer the congregation’s early missions in the Philippines, she stayed and found her ultimate purpose. Through the years, these sisters poured their energy into the classroom, school administration, and community leadership, proving that God’s fidelity sustains them through every season of ministry.

“God has gifted us with many things, but the vocation to live this life is a special vocation,” Most Rev. Abel Apigo, D.D., Bishop of Mati, stated during the homily, honoring the profound grace required to endure in active ministry for fifty or sixty years.

Sustaining such a long-term commitment relies on much more than sheer human willpower or capability. For Sr. Elenita and her fellow sisters, navigating the changing landscapes of the modern world and their own shifting assignments has been anchored deeply in daily prayer, the Eucharist, and the supportive, shared bonds of their community life.

As the Presentation of Mary continues its mission, the enduring “yes” of these five women stands as living proof that a lifetime of joyful, faithful service remains a beautiful reality today. (Ana Patricia Bargio | HCDC Intern)