Quote
“We are part of the community, part of God’s family, and we have responsibilities for each other. Those who are suffering and those who are poor have a special claim on our love.”
| Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, speaking to more than 1,500 people Jan. 19 at New York Encounter 2014, a three-day festival. The cardinal was reflecting on Pope Francis’ admonition to “Go out, head for the periphery.” (Catholic News Service)
Profile
Tasha Haimoto-Leite
Youth and young adult minister, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Papaikou, Big Island
Favorite church song: “How Great is Our God”
Food: Spam and rice
Movie: “My Life in Ruins”
Holiday: Christmas
Island: Big Island
Best church: Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Papaikou
Potato salad or mac salad: Mac
Breakfast this morning: Brown sugar Pop-Tarts
Saints under 35
Standing up to evil
Blessed Marie-Clementine Anuarite Nengapeta’s vow to remain a virgin led to her violent martyrdom at age 24 — during which she had the grace to forgive her attacker for “not knowing what you are doing.”
The religious sister was born Nengapeta Alphonsine in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1939; a clerical error at her school resulted in her enrollment under her sister’s name, Anuarite. She felt called to become a nun at an early age despite her parents’ disapproval and the convent’s refusal to accept her due to her youth. Anuarite, however, found her way to the convent by sneaking onto a truck bound for the site. She became Sister Marie-Clementine in 1959.
A rebellion broke out in 1964 and swept across the country, with the Simba rebels targeting religious whom they suspected of cooperating with foreigners. All the nuns in Anuarite’s convent were taken away to a rebel household, where a colonel tried and failed to get Anuarite and another sister to lie with him. The furious rebel began to beat both nuns, then became further enraged at Anuarite when she forgave him. The colonel called over other rebels who proceeded to stab her; a gunshot from the colonel eventually claimed Anuarite’s life.
She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1985. (www.dacb.org)