Interviewing Mother Julia Romero Enriquez, MS - One of the Somascan Missionary Sisters' Pioneers in the Philippines

Fr. Abe, CRS with Mother Julia Romero Enriquez, MS

During the First Week of February 2010 our school received a very special visitor: Mother Julia, MS. She is very dear to all Somascans in the Philippines because she is one of the three Somascan Sisters who established the Mission in the Philippines about 30 years ago.

The two others who were with her in starting and establishing the Somascan Missionary Sisters' presence in our country were: Mother Maddalena Minelli, MS who is now in eternal repose at the Father's House and Mother Celina Hernandez, MS. Mother Maddalena became a superior of the sisters in various houses including Jardin de Maria in Sorsogon City. She served as Mother Commissary and later elected to as Mother General. While Mother Celina also served the country well as superior of several houses and was also elected Mother Commissary. Now she has returned to Latin America.

Mother Julia is a native of Honduras and has received her formation as a Somascan Missionary Sister in Guatemala. After serving the Philippines she returned to Latin America also and is now a Mother Superior in Guatemala serving the orphans and the needy in the area.

The present Mother General ordered Mother Julia to return to the Philippines for a visit in order to represent the Generalate in the 25th Anniversary or Silver Jubilee of St. Jerome Academy in Molino, Cavite. Mother Julia is so delighted to see that the number of the religious sisters have grown much and that the mission activities are flourishing well in the country. She visited also all the religious houses in the country and the possible site of a new house in Mindanao.

I was not aware of the coming of Mother Julia until one morning during breakfast my father superior, Fr. Lino, CRS casually informed us of her presence. Then late that afternoon I was asked if it possible to interview Mother Julia on AITV5. I immediately consented and arranged the interview as soon as possible.

Later on I have found out that everything is ready but none of our TV hosts is free to do the interview. So, without much ado I decided to interview her myself. With the absence of my staff, then I have to do it since this is very special for our Somascan History. She is one of the only two remaining pioneers of the Somascan Sisters and it is but proper that her interview must be preserved in our recordings for posterity's sake and on behalf of the next generations. So my first ever hosting on TV became a reality by force of necessity. Ha, ha, ha...

Thanks be to God because I've been a radio co-host for about 5 years already and for 3 years on TV so I was never nervous at all. But this is unique in the sense that previously I used to speak a lot in front of the camera but this time I will be the one doing the interview while my guest must be the center of attention.

The interview went very well. Mother Julia is fluent in English even though she speaks slowly like Mother Teresa but her deliberations mixed with Latina accent sounded beautifully. I asked her about her native country, Honduras, and about its culture and faith. Then by my guide she narrated how she entered the convent very young and was transferred to Guatemala. She was radiating with peace and gentleness during the entire interview.

Then Mother explained how she was sent to the Philippines and the happiness and trials she had experienced in the Philippines. She narrated the pain of the fire that devasted and turned to ashes ALL as in ALL their belongings while in Las Pinas, Metro Manila. She said that the terrible fire accident brought them blessing because the Lord later allowed them to find a lot and to build their own convent. From that day on, the growth of the congregation in the Philippines both males and females have increased tremendously under the benevolent care of the Heavenly Father.