Teodora Alonzo, mother of Jose Rizal, was the perfect Roseñan icon, says historian

National hero Dr. Jose Rizal believes that "true liberation comes in education," said historian Fr. Emilio Quilatan, OAR on Tuesday.

"And the thing that we should be aware of is that education is the formation of Christian conscience," he added during a webinar hosted by the Intramuros Administration entitled "Colegio de Sta. Rosa: History, Heritage, and Legacy".

Jose Rizal was educated in Manila and Spain but his first teacher was his mother, Doña Teodora Alonzo y Quintos, who is also regarded as the most important alumna of Colegio de Sta. Rosa in Intramuros, Manila. 

The school, located in front of the Plaza de Sto. Tomas, is an educational institution established in the year 1750.

Doña Teodora attended classes in this school when it was still run by the sisters of the Daughters of Charity.

"Teodora Alonzo, Carmen Planas and the rest of the alumnae who passed through the halls of Colegio de Sta. Rosa — I believe that they have received the formation of Christian conscience. And this is the main apostolate of all Catholic Christian schools," Quilatan added.

Carmen Planas was the first woman councilor of Manila.

Four beatas looked after the young women under their care and taught them the "four R's especially the Catholic religion and doctrine" before the administration was turned over to the Daughters of Charity in 1866, then the members of the Siervas de San Jose, who opened Colegio de Sta. Rosa - Makati in 1964.

Resilient Rose of Jericho

The legacy of the 272-year-old Colegio de Sta. Rosa, Quilatan said, is the school's motto "Quasi Plantatio Rosae."

The complete verse is taken from Ecclesiasticus chapter 24, verse 18 or the Book of Sirach from the Douai Rheims version. "I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in Jericho."

"The red rose symbolizes passion, love, devotion, and sacrifice. That is the biblical symbolism of the red rose," said Quilatan.

The Rose of Jericho, he said, is not an ordinary rose but a desert rose that survives even during the dry season and renews itself even though there would be minimal water.

"This repeating process of hibernation has earned the rose of Jericho the name 'resurrection plant,'" the historian said.

"It symbolizes transformation, renewal, and not surprisingly they also see the death and resurrection of Christ in its ability to 'die' then recover," he added.

The symbol of the school, the legacy given by its foundress Mother Paula dela Santissima Trinidad to all the students, reflects the attributes of the rare flower.

"Revival, resiliency, wherever they are assigned in every status in their life, and they are the instruments of Christ's resurrection," Quilatan said.

The more concrete example of the "resiliency of the rose of Jericho" is Doña Teodora Alonzo as she was also persecuted but remained steadfast in her faith, he added.

She stood against the abusive management policies of Spanish friars in the 1800s.

According to historical accounts, Alonzo refused to pay the real estate tax as a way to show support for her son. Alonzo was subsequently punished for this.

She was made to walk from her home in Calamba to the prison in Sta. Cruz in Laguna where she was detained for two and a half years.

"Yet, she did not lose hope and she did not lose her faith," said Quilatan.

"There was we might say, there were heartaches. But she did not turn against the church, she did not stop going to mass and yet she persevered," he added.

When she was freed, Doña Teodora was able to extend her love for her children and guide them until her death in 1911.

"This is the symbolism of the rose of Jericho that hopefully, all the alumnae of Colegio de Sta. Rosa of all its different school branches, would become the instrument of resiliency, revival and resurrection in spite of the — we might say — trials they face in this life," said Quilatan.

Perfect Roseñan icon

The Augustinian priest underscored that Alonzo is an example of the Roseñan identity, that she is a "perfect icon of the Roseñan identity that ever passed through the halls of Colegio de Sta. Rosa de Intramuros."

Jose Rizal himself summarized his mother's life as a Roseñan through a tribute in his memoir.

"Ah! Without her what would ... have been my fate?... After God the mother is everything to man."

"For Rizal, everything is coming from the mother (who) was dedicated to the upbringing of Rizal and all her 11 children," said Quilatan.

Colegio de Sta. Rosa's greatest assets

It was in 1981 when the Augustinian Recollect sisters took over running the school and proceeded to open branches in Trece Martirez in Cavite and Puerto Princesa in Palawan.

"The greatest contribution of Santa Rosa is providing Christian women who became leaders to our nation, who became mothers to our Christian families," Quilatan also said.

"Let us be reminded, my dear friends, we are here to carry the cross as our Christian vocation. To suffer with the cross has its meaning because behind the cross is the resurrection like the dry rose of Jericho," he said.

"But what was worse is if we suffer and we do not know the meaning of suffering and we lost the cross in our lives. And that is the tragedy of those who have forgotten the symbolism of the rose of Jericho in their lives," he added.

Colegio de Sta. Rosa - Manila survived after two strong earthquakes and a World War and remains in the same location for almost 300 years.

The longevity, Quilatan said, is attributed to the resiliency of those who administer the school.

"Remember, if you are doing the apostolate of God, God will send us, you might say, trials in order to purify our motives. If you really serve him, you are being purified by him through this pandemic especially," he said.

"They (administrators) are doing the work of God and they glorify God by doing their work through the education of the young." he added.

The school also adapted to the times, as administrators opened the school doors to boys to become a co-education institution.

These are the greatest assets of Colegio de Sta. Rosa, Quilatan said.

"I do not know their names but I believe that you (graduates) hear me, you are the greatest assets. Without you there is no Colegio de Sta. Rosa," he added. —KG, GMA News