Cosmedin R. Gorospe or Sr. Mary Vitalis R. Gorospe is the city’s latest centenarian.
Sr. Mary was born on Dec. 12, 1923 and reared in Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur. She describes her birthplace where she spent her childhood as an obscure little town but it was there where she experienced peace, joy, and love from her family, neighborhood, and the whole community.
Her parents had a deep Catholic faith that also exposed her to foreign missionaries. Her late elder brother is also a priest and another brother who is a lawyer, resides in the USA with his family.
On Sept. 8, 1955, Sr. Mary, finally a professed nun, had her first ministry by teaching a group of mothers and children at their residences and schools in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. This she did for about 20 years.
In the wake of the Martial Law, she was challenged to minister to wider communities of the Cagayan Valley particularly in Isabela, Pangasinan, Mindanao, and the Cordillera.
Later, she accepted voluntary works in Kenya, Africa until she returned to Baguio where she continued the management of the Good Shepherd Convent at Mines View barangay. She is now being cared for by fellow sisters.
As one of the centenarian recipients of Baguio City, she received a total amount of P120,000 – P20,000 from the city government by virtue of Resolution 84-2019 and P100,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
She also received a letter of felicitation from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. – Joan Astudillo and Ana P. Codley
