Holy Family Sister Joanna Connolly retired from her first career when she turned 5. She had to start kindergarten, after all.
That was a while ago. She just turned 100 on March 4. Her second career has lasted a bit longer, especially considering religious sisters really don’t retire. They just change ministries.
Sister Joanna spent nearly half of her life working in Hawaii, a sizable chunk of time for someone who has lived a full century. She now lives at the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Holy Family in Fremont, Calif.
Born Bobbe Connolly in 1914, Sister Joanna was a child actress in the silent movies. She left acting to begin school and a normal childhood.
One day in high school, according to her, she was avoiding her homework, reading a pamphlet that explained what it meant to have a religious calling. It resonated. The joy of devoting one’s life to God seemed so right.
A few weeks later, reading another pamphlet, “Gleaners Along the King’s Highway,” which described the work of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Bobbe knew immediately that she wanted to be one of them. But she kept the thought secret for several years because she wasn’t sure her father would approve.
Little did she know that, on the day she was born, her father had asked God to take his daughter as God’s bride. So when she finally told him her plans, she received his blessing. She made her profession on Jan. 6, 1934. Other family members and friends doubted she would last. That was 80 joyful years ago.
Sister Joanna taught religious education for many years in Southern California. She loved working with children and ministering to families outside regular parish programs. In 1955, Sister Joanna was sent to Hawaii in response to a request from Bishop James J. Sweeney for a congregation of religious sisters who would teach catechism in parishes, on the Big Island in particular.
The Sisters of the Holy Family went out to the small towns, gathered the children and started teaching catechism, holding the classes wherever they could find space, often outdoors. Sister Joanna loved the people of Hawaii and was delighted to make the Islands her ministry and home for 45 years.
Her long life has seen many changes, including the transition from traditional to modified habits, and the switch from Latin to English at Mass. But the Gospel never changes, so the other things never bothered her.
Sister Joanna left Hawaii in 2001 and is now back in California, still finding ways to reflect the love of God to everyone she meets. She celebrated her 100th birthday with a party and lots of conversation remembering her 100 years.
