ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | March 21, 2021
Pumanaw na ang nasa likod ng sikat na Good Shepherd ube jam sa Baguio City na si Sister Fidelis Atienza sa edad na 102. Ayon sa Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), noong Sabado inanunsiyo ng congregation ni Sr. Atienza ang kanyang pagpanaw sa Religious of the Good Shepherd (RGS) Community, Quezon City. Noong 1960s nagsimula ang Marian Bakery kung saan gumagawa si Sr. Atienza ng “angel cookies.”
Matapos ang mahigit isang dekada, noong 1976 ay nag-umpisa niyang gawin ang ube jam o purple yam. Ayon pa sa RGS, dahil sa ube jam ay nakapagpaaral ang kongregasyon ng libu-libong kabataan.
Saad ng RGS, “It was during her assignment in Baguio when we started the now famous ube jam (purple yam). She was the original mastermind behind the ube jam, enabling the congregation to send thousands of youths to school.”
Noong 1951, pumasok si Sr. Atienza sa Noviciate of the Good Shepherd sa Los Angeles, California. Bukod sa Baguio, namalagi rin si Sr. Atienza sa Cebu, Hong Kong, France, Rome, at Tagaytay. Noong 2020 naman ay namalagi na siya sa Quezon City.
Saad pa ng RGS, “She dedicated each moment of her day praying for the needs of the Church and the Congregation.
“The children in the compound were very fond of their oldest playmate; she was a delight and a source of joy to everyone whom she met.” Samantala, ang mga labi ni Sr. Atienza ay nasa Good Shepherd Convent at pribado ang funeral services.