Obituary of Josephina Maria Locquiao

Manville, NJ

Josephina Maria Locquiao, daughter of Jay and Jennifer Locquiao, was born on the Feast of the Miraculous Medal, November 27, 2022, at 7:04 AM and peacefully passed away on the vigil of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 7, 2022, at 9:32 PM in New Brunswick, New Jersey. 

During her short time with us, Josephina Maria’s life evoked prayers and spiritual sacrifices in people and families from Poland, Ukraine, Bosnia, Spain, India, Philippines, Mexico, Greece, the Vatican, Italy, and across the United States. In addition, several religious orders and apostolic groups in the United States and around the world offered masses, prayers, and other spiritual exercises that were united to Josephina’s life and sufferings here on Earth. The known orders and apostolic groups include the Trappist Monks of Iowa, Dominican Cloistered Monasteries, Carmelites sisters, Missionaries of Charity (order founded by St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta),Nashville and Ann Arbor Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Life, the Dominican Sisters of Peace, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Poor Clares, the Sisters of Jesus Our Hope, the Brotherhood of Hope, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, the Society of Jesus, the Sisters of Our Lady of Divine Mercy, the Hermits of Bethlehem(Chester, NJ), Dominican Fathers and Brothers,  the Oratory of Philip Neri, the Secular Oratory of Philip Neri, the Bethany Retreat House (Dickson, TN), the People of Hope, the Cenacola communities of Florida, Alabama, and Medjugore, the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center, the McGivney Guild, the Shrine of Divine Mercy (Kraków, Poland), the National Shrine of Divine Mercy (Stockbridge, MA), various home schooling groups across the country, various young adult groups (in NJ, PA, and NY), various campus ministries across the country (Columbia University, Benedictine, Fairfield University, Providence College), the Knights of Columbus, and others only known to God.

Through Josephina Maria, the Holy Spirit has, in accordance with God’s unfolding plan, orchestrated this movement of prayer in the Church, which has touched countless hearts and reached ends that only God himself knows and why. Because of her life, people who have prayed are praying harder, and those who have never prayed are praying for the first time. Josephina Maria has inspired and reminded hundreds, if not thousands, of people around the world to love more, pray more, trust more, discover God, and even rediscover Him again. Even after her death, her family hopes and prays the spirit of faith and love that she inspired in the hearts of many will continue to be a ripple effect of abounding graces in the lives of others. May Josephina Maria, with all of the angels and saints, intercede and pray for the mission of the Church to make Christ known and loved, and for all of those who had a claim on her love and sufferings.

She will be missed dearly by her parents, Jay and Jennifer; her big sister Nennolina; her grandparents, Peter and Kathy Payenski, Rodillo and Imelda Locquiao; and her great-grandmother Zenaida Agustin. She is also survived by her aunts and uncles, Allison Horten and husband Anthony; Rebecca; Krishalei; and Dave Romuel. 

Family, friends, and all of those who have a claim on Josephina’s love and inspiration are invited to the Vigil Service on Friday, December 16, 2022, from 5:00-8:00PM at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, 46 Anderson Street, Raritan, NJ 08869. The Funeral Mass Liturgy will be celebrated on Saturday, December 17, 2022, from 10:00-11:15AM at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church. Immediately following the mass, interment will take place at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery & Mausoleum, 225 Ridgedale Avenue, East Hanover, NJ 07936.

“ALWAYS AND FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS”