Francisca del Espíritu Santo de Fuentes (1647 – August 24, 1711) is a Spanish Roman Catholic religious figure. She was the first Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena in the Philippines. Life Francísca de Fuentes y del Castillo was born to Don Simón de Fuentes, a Spaniard and Doña Ana María del Castillo y Tamayo, a Spanish from Manila probably around 1647 (there is no record of her birth). Francisca grew up to be a fine lady, and she was given in marriage to a gentleman who died shortly thereafter and leaving her a childless, young widow. Francísca then dedicated her time to prayer and social service helping many poor and sick in the city. In 1682 she became a Dominican tertiary, taking the name "Francísca del Espíritu Santo”. In 1686, Francísca, Antonia de Jesús Esquerra, María Ana de Fuentes (Francisca's blood-sister), Maria Ana de la Vega and Sebastiana Salcedo requested that they be allowed to live together in a life of prayer and the practice of the virtues while continuing their social apostolate. After a brief hesitation, their request was sent to the Master General of Order of Preachers in Rome, who approved it in January 1688. Unfortunately, discrimination against native Filipinas by the Dominicans continued. It was specified in the beaterio foundation papers that there would be only fifteen choir sisters of Spanish blood in honor of the fifteen mysteries of the rosary. The Dominican Chapter of April 17, 1633, mandated "that those who enter the convent should all be Spanish women and not in any way mestizos." (Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, OP, Beginnings of the Filipino Dominicans 2014). Meanwhile, the director of the Third Order, Rev Juan de Santa María, who favored the request of the ladies, was assigned to Bataan, and Rev Juan de Santo Domingo was assigned in his place. The new Director was against the project and the proposal was laid aside. Francísca and her companion were deeply dismayed, but Sebastiana prophesied that although she and Antonia would not live to see it, the Beaterio would be a reality. Francisca's desire for the realization of the Beaterio also grew. (A beaterio is a house in which devout women live, forming a community and following a rule.) Fr. Juan de Santo Domingo reconsidered and became one of the powerful supporters of the Beaterio. Under his direction, Mother Francísca and her