Sr. Mary Assumption Ocampo RGS,
the first Filipina Good Shepherd Sister, passed away on  December 10, 2009 at the age of 102. She made her first profession of Vows at the Mother
House in Angers, France in 1938. She was 72 years in religious life. In 2002, when the
Sisters of the Philippine Province were asked to write their vocation stories,
she was willing to participate in that effort. This is her story.

 

Life in Abundance

By Sr.
Mary Assumption Ocampo RGS

As told
to Sr. Regina Kuizon RGS

 

I was in
first year college when  the thought of
entering the convent dawned on me. At that time I was pursuing a degree in
Mathematics from the University of Santo Tomas and it was important for me and
the family that I finish my college education.

During
the early years of my life at UST, Fr. Silvestre Sancho OP was my confessor, until
he was missioned in Rome.

Some
interesting twists came. I have a devotion to Mary, and one day, on the Feast
of Our Lady of Lourdes, I went for confession at Lourdes Church. Father James Moran SJ was at the
confessional box and after hearing my confession he said that I meet him in the
afternoon in the convent. So, in the absence of Fr. Sancho, I went to see Fr.
Moran. I should say, from being a Dominican I became a Jesuit.  Father Moran became my confessor and it was
from him that I learned how to pray and the desire to enter the convent grew
stronger.

Life
after college was spent teaching at the University of Santo Tomas, and I had time to discern about
my vocation. With Fr. Moran’s accompaniment, I was led to the Good Shepherd
Sisters which at the time had the novitiate in the Mother House in Angers, France.

My
parents, Basilio Ocampo and Leoncia Hizon had no objections about my entrance
to the convent, as our family was very Catholic. I had two cousins who also
joined religious life, Maring Hizon who joined the Pink Sisters and Naty Dizon
who became a Carmelite.

When I
was about to go to Angers, my entire family brought me to
the pier.

Times were different then and the voyage by ship from the Philippines to France took weeks. Yet at every port
there were Good Shepherd Sisters waiting for me. There were about four or five
ports to reach the Mother House. In Marseille, a tourière sister came to see
me, and from Marseille, I  took a train
to Paris and then to Angers. 

On September 12, 1935, I was one of those who entered
the Novitiate in Angers, France. I was the only Filipina in the
Novitiate, the novices came from various countries in the world. Our common
formation was that we were formed to be Religious of the Good Shepherd who
would reach out with compassion to the women and children in need. The second
Filipina, Elena Tantoco fell ill and died in the Novitiate.

While in Angers, there was rumor of war but our
formation continued. I got to know sisters from various parts of the world and
I wanted so much to follow the footsteps of Mother Foundress, St. Mary
Euphrasia.

For my clothing
ceremonies in 1936, my family sent me a Filipina dress. My mother wanted me to
wear that for my clothing. I had a picture wearing that Filipina dress and sent
that picture to my mother. But I did not want to be different from the others during
the ceremonies, I wanted to be in the Bridal dress and be like the rest of the
sisters in the group. I made my first profession of vows on May
31, 1938.

Two or
three times I passed by the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

I
returned to the Philippines and stayed in Batangas as teacher
and principal of St. Bridget School.  We started the College Department in St.
Bridget and Sr. Veronica Mondoñedo continued it.  I had a feeling that the work was done well,
people were simple.

 

In the
60s, I volunteered to be a missionary in Caracas, Venezuela where I helped minister to women
in prison.  I did not find language a
barrier in being a missionary. The Philippines had Spanish influences and at
home we also spoke the language. I believe that when one reaches out to people,
language is not a barrier. For me the moment I begin to know the people, right
away they are already in my heart.

A good
part of my life is also spent in Baguio. I feel very much at home here. I
like being with the people, they are simple, and I respect them.  Here I spend the days in quiet prayer,
thanking God for all the blessings received and for enjoying life in abundance
as Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has promised.

 

Visit the page: http://www.goodshepherdsisters.org.ph/baguio

Other Readings: Sr. Assumption Ocampo, ube maker

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 Sr. Mary Assumption