Our School's Founder

Blessed Marcelo Spínola y Maestre

     He was the Founder of  Marcelo Spinola School, where I am currently studying. Together with Mother Celia Mendez, they founded The Congregation of the Handmaids of the Divine Heart.

       It all started in the morning of October 30, 1874 when Marcelo, the parish priest of San Lorenzo De Sevilla, Spain was sitting as usual on the confessional box. Til a woman came to him, grieving, asking for guidance. She was Celia Mendez, she has been widowed for two months that time. Over the pain of the loss of her husband, she heard God calling her for something bigger. And through generous efforts of both Marcelo and Celia, they ended up founding the Congregation on July 26, 1885.

Mother Celia Mendez & Father Marcelo Spinola

     

    The Congregation is born with the same mission as its Founders. "To proclaim Christ's personal love." So they chose to do the work of Christian Education and started forming the hearts and the mind of the young. Currently, the Congregation runs a school in our country, the Philippines and nine other countries in the world. In Paraguay, Italy,Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Angola, Ecuador, Japan and Venezuela. Now, they also have 366 religious distributed in these countries. 

 Images of the Congregation pouring their hearts to their vocation as they help the young feel Christ's personal love. <3

They teach the kids to start their personal relationship with Christ as early as possible :))

They explain the importance of God's word in our lives, and help us live it out ^____^

We can see just how happy they are, being a part of the congregation :))

In sharing the same vocation and mission, they seem to be in much joy to be with each other.

Thank you Father Marcelo for founding the Congregation who is willing to serve as a guiding light to us growing Christians!

  

 Father Marcelo Spinola y Maestre

Whole Name: Marcelo Rafael José María de los Dolores Hilario Spinola y Maestre.

The meaning of their last name is THORN. Pertaining to the thorns crowned on Christ.

Born on: January 14, 1835 in San Fernando (Cadiz), Spain.  

Parents are: Don Juan de Spinola Osorno and Dona Antonia y Osorno. 

Siblings: Soledad, Marcelo (He is the eldest son), Rafael  and Rosario. *They were supposed to be 8 siblings but four of them died*

Baptized by: Fr.Jose Carillo

 He finished Bachelor in Philosophy at the age of 13. He took up Law in the University of Valencia and Don Francisco Arboleya became his Professor there.

Being "THE DEFENDER OF THE POOR AND THE NEEDY" became his perpetual profession since he started practicing Law ...

 ~ Yes, he became a lawyer. But he didn't aim for this title to gain money or become a high-profile person. As you can see, ever since, F. Marcelo was born, generosity was like a built-in character in him. He was ever generous that even the services he rendered to the people who need help from him as a lawyer .. He whole-heartedly gave. And guess what? FOR FREE. He was just that so amazing.

 Not long then when people started calling him "The Lawyer of the Poor" which I think, he perfectly desrves ;)

THE MAN OF GREAT FAITH AS A PRIEST

  He was ordained on 21 March 1864. He did pastoral work in the archdiocese of Seville from 1864 in various parishes until 1880. Even when he had a sickness, he still persevered to reach out for those people who don't have access to Churches. He climb mountains, horseback riding, just to proclaim the word of God and make the people feel Christ's personal love as he did. He was incredibly exemplary not just to all religious but also to different people who is too blinded by the world to see the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ.

Episcopate

He was appointed titular bishop of Milos and auxiliary bishop of Seville by Pope Leo XIII on 16 December 1880. He was transferred to the diocese of Coria on 10 November 1884, and to the diocese of Málaga on 10 June 1886. He was promoted to the metropolitan see of Seville on 2 December 1895. He served as a Senator of the Spanish Kingdom from 1891 to 1894, and from 1898 until his death.

  Father Marcelo Spinola was a great confessor and preacher.

    He used to sit on his confession box early at dawn just to see to it that he can accommodate as much confessions as he can. That's how dedicated he is to his vocation. He also inspires a lot of people by how he gives life and interpret the Word of God every time he preaches.

 THE BEGGAR ARCHBISHOP ~

   
    The people also called him the "Beggar Archbishop". Because believe it or not, Father Marcelo at his old age begged from villages with blessed households for alms because that time his countrymen was suffering from drought. Factually speaking, Father Marcelo had no cash on hand because he already gave it to those in need that he left nothing even for himself. But nothing can stop him from helping, so when he figured out that begging from fortunate families was the only way .. He immediately did it without second thoughts because he knew that was for his country men who's badly in need. We all know that BEGGING requires a big amount of humility because it's not easy to knock on doors and ask for a little amount of money or in kind. But he did it. He did it for the sake of others, showing how selfless and willing to sacrifice he was.

Cardinalate and Death

He was created cardinal priest by Pope Pius X in the consistory of 11 December 1905. He died in 1906 in Seville. On 24 January 1913, his remains were transferred to a new mausoleum built in the chapel of Dolores in the same cathedral.
He was beatified on 29 March 1987 by Pope John Paul II.


 He died of old age and natural causes. He died with no even single penny on his pocket that his sister, Soledad needed to sell F.Marcelo's Library just to finance his funeral services and burial. How astonishing it is to know that someone completely forgot about himself and got lost in helping others that he forgot to prepare even for his own burial. I guess, he didn't mind because  he knew that those material things here in Earth is nothing compared to what God will reward him the moment he enters His Kingdom bringing with him the deeds he did on Earth just to reflect Christ's love for others.

  But wait! Even if Father Marcelo is no longer physically with us ..
   We, his students, no matter the location, are still striving to live out the "little Marcelo Spinola" we have within us. Trying to reflect Christ's love for others just like what he was trying to do for his entire lifetime :))

 The humble smiles :) The simple outfit. Borloloy free. The simple building background <3 This picture reveals how students are inspired by Father Marcelo's prominent character .. SIMPLICITY. Even now, that these students in the pic are already proffessionals, we see the trait is still evident in their lifestyles. And I, as a graduating student, dreams to keep those little lessons like valuing SIMPLICITY OF LIFE, when I grow up and eventually leave the campus.

THIS IS OUR CAMPUS BY THE WAY ;) In Don Andres, Ipil. Zamboanga Sibugay. *Philippines* No Paint, Yet we love it that way :'>

My Point Of View :'>

  At first, I had no idea what kind of school MSS is or who founded it. But now, I can say that I can already story tell the life of our blessed Founder. Perhaps, just like what I did in this blog.That's just how were attached to it already. Studying in MSS introduced me to an incredibly exemplary man. A man who fears nothing and never backs down when the good of all is at stake. Someone who lets nothing block him from helping. Never indifferent. Instrument of peace. Blessed with impeccable intelligence plus a faithful heart. Won't you be inspired if you're studying in a school were everyone is trying to be like him? Well, I totally am. Staying in the school for almost 4 years already taught me a lot of things especially the characters and values we must have in order for us not to get lost in our lives later. And this is when the Life Of Father Marcelo comes in. His story just pats me on the back saying "Yes, you can live your life the way F. Marcelo did. If he can, then why can't you?" His deeds of goodness to people surrounding him constantly wakes me up when I start to be indifferent when problems arise. When I start not to care and think 'so what? Its none of my business.' I automatically remember him. If F.Marcelo was watching, would he be proud of me as his child if I think that way? Like, what would he do if he's on my current situation? That's the questions I started to ask in rocky roads since I got a better understanding of Father Marcelo's life. Moreover, studying his life made me believe in things I don't before. Now, I believe, a man with genuine faith can make a change. Before, I thought that would be impossible firstly because that's just too much for a person to do alone. The part I missed is that I forgot God is God. When you do the will of God, He will be helping you along the way, providing you stuffs you need and letting you meet people whom He knows can be of great help to you :) Just like what happened to Marcelo's life. Now, I am totally enthusiastic just thinking what my future would be. Yet, whatever it is or wherever road God will be leading me to ... I'll make sure those values planted on me will grow and bare fruit in my life. Thank you Father Marcelo for being a very good example <3 YOU INSPIRE US ^____________^