VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
I was a junior in high school and sick at home when I told my mom that I would like to see her and daddy. I knew my dad would come home for lunch. My mom had no idea what I wanted to talk about. I was the outgoing type who, usually after completing my chores in the morning, washing or ironing clothes, would go outside to climb trees and eat fruits, or swim behind Rainbow Falls. I said, “Now that I am almost graduating, I want to become a religious sister.”
My father had named all the boys after various priests — Father Paul, Father James, etc. My mom named all the girls after actresses — Audrey Hepburn, Lorraine Day, etc. My parents were so happy. I knew how blessed I was. My father said, “Anytime you’re not happy, you are welcome back.” That’s all I needed to hear.
Philippians 4:13 rang clear for me that day: “In God I can do all things.” In the convent, congregational leadership asked each of us how often we would like to be moved, or transferred like in the army. I replied, “About every 5 years.” Leadership always tried to work around ministerial needs, considering the education each one had. In most of the places I went to, however, everything was new. Once I needed to teach physical education. I had no idea of the rules for the games, so I made them up based on remembrances of playing such games as a child.
I never knew I was going to be a teacher. As we had only two ministry choices in the convent and I decided I didn’t want to give anybody injections, my path was set. God strengthens you to do anything if you believe in him. From Hilo I went to Syracuse, New York; from Syracuse to Albany. Other places I have ministered include Fairmont, Endicott and Utica in New York; California, Hilo, Lahaina, Kalaupapa and in various places on Oahu.
I remember that, in Albany, teaching was combined with being a sacristan, training altar servers, answering the doorbell and telephone, and arranging the flowers for the altar. I did a lot of running around as a young sister! One day, I was distracted by the doorbell as I was washing the linens. On the Mainland, the water heater needed to be turned on until the water reached a certain level, and then turned off. I went to school and forgot about it. Poor elderly Sister Kunigunde cleaned up the flood I caused. I was so sorry, as the heater could have burst as well.
My year in Kalaupapa brought a new set of learning skills as they needed a clerk stenographer. The high school business courses that I took to be able to help my father in the “Rainbow Cash & Carry” grocery store came in handy. Back on Oahu I served as a school secretary; and in the hospital as a receptionist, librarian and notary public. Life has been varied and full. Like the surprise I received on my investiture day when the bishop called out, “Sister Agatha,” a name I had not chosen, but that had chosen me. The following is a prayer I have said daily since:
Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of you. Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus! Amen. (John Henry Newman)
Sister Agatha Perreira is a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. She is one of 11 siblings. Her investiture date was March 3, 1959. She serves as sacristan at St. Francis Convent in Manoa.
