Little monastery serves as prayer refuge of Pinatubo survivors

Nuns running the Monastery of Poor Clares stayed in Guagua, Pampanga, to help survivors of Mt. Pinatubo eruption. TONETTE OREJAS

GUAGUA, Pampanga — A little monastery, put up with the help of the late Cardinal Jaime Sin in 1968, served as a spiritual refuge to victims of Mt. Pinatubo eruptions and the subsequent lahar in 1991.

The little-known fact about Monasterio de Sta. Clara del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus (St. Clare of the Holy Heart of Jesus Monastery) surfaced when this Franciscan contemplative congregation celebrated its 50 years of presence in Pampanga province on June 29.

Rebuilding church

The Poor Clares, as the group is called, is the first community of the “women religious” to settle permanently in the Philippines, having arrived in 1621.

From Intramuros in Manila, they moved to Quezon City and farmed out to 27 places, including Pampanga.

Their monastery here sits on a hectare of land donated by the Pecson family at Barangay San Agustin in the district of Betis, an old town annexed to Guagua town in 1904.

“People stayed put [because the nuns remained]. They also helped us rebuild the church from lahar and floods,” said Sister Maria Analiza de Jesus.

Volcanic debris

Volcanic debris washed down by rains flowed toward Betis through Pasig-Potrero River that headed out to Manila Bay.

The Pecsons’ grandson, the late Mayor Manuel Santiago, raised and fortified the dike to protect Betis.

As Betis residents tried to save St. James Church —which has been likened to the Sistine Chapel for its visual catechism — they built a new church on top of the old one, with Cielo Macapagal-Salgado, former Pampanga vice governor, leading the fund-raising for the project during the posteruption years.

The eggs, which devotees offered at the monastery when they pleaded for a sunny day, were shared with the people.

The monastery had since been spared from major floods as the ground had been recently elevated by a meter of sand hauled there by trucks mobilized by Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda.

Courage, love

Wood carvers at Barangay San Agustin and Barangay Sta. Ursula pitched in their talents to complete the religious arts.

De Jesus said it was in this monastery that Fr. Eddie Panlilio made his final decision to cross over to public governance. Panlilio is the first Catholic priest to be elected as governor.

“Priests do come here for refuge,” De Jesus said. “We are here because of your courage and love,” she said in a program after the Mass on Friday. At least 14 nuns are cloistered at the monastery.