Three of the Mirabal sisters were active in the Dominican liberation movement and became known popularly as the “Butterflies” during this time. The Organization of American States sent
representative to observe what was happening in the Dominican Republic. The
Catholic church encouraged the eventual release of all female prisoners including the “Butterflies.” Trujillo
thought if the sisters
disappeared then the movement would be repressed and set about to plan their deaths.
When Minerva, Maria and Patria were returning from visiting
their spouses in jail they were stopped by the secret police along the road between Puerto
Plata and Santiago. They and their driver found were clubbed,
beaten and then strangled to death. Patria was 36 years old, Minerva was 34 years old and Maria
was 24 years old. This act had far
reaching consequences for Trujillo. Within six months of the murder of the
“Butterflies” Trujillo himself was assassinated.
Throughout this tumultuous
period Dominican Sisters remained in the country to collaborate in the mission
of Catholic education in the Dominican Republic. Adrian Dominican Sister Irene (Morence) spent the 1964-65
school year in the Dominican Republic at Colegio Santo Domingo, teaching
French, business, history, and English. This was a time of great peril and
violence. The dictator Trujillo had been assassinated, and the army was
searching for those who were responsible. The sisters were also in danger, and
were forced to leave. Sister Irene wrote: “This was the year of the outbreak of war there. I happened to be at Las
Matas at the time of the outbreak, so could not get back to the Colegio when
the sisters from there boarded the ship for home. We attempted to get through,
but missed the boat by fifteen minutes. I was one of the six left behind for
several days. It was a frightening time!”
