VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING
Interviewd by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
I have always believed that our religious communities speak for God and that when they ask us sisters to take on a new ministry or to move to another place, that is God asking us to do his work in a new place. As a guiding force, I always try to say in response, “Yes, I will be willing to go.” Or, “Send me where you need me.” There have been a couple of places where I first scratched my head, wondered and struggled when I got there. Apparently however, Hawaii is where they needed me next.
I remember sitting in my office last spring knowing that I was going to be changed. I knew we had a mission in Hawaii and thought, “Hawaii would be nice.” I was also leaving a long career of administration and thought, “I’m not quite ready to leave the classroom yet.” With that, I never said another thing. Then the phone call came, “Sister, how would you like to go to Hawaii to be a teacher?” I was elated, “Ooh, somebody heard me.”
One of my favorite classes is teaching religion and helping the students to understand the saints and the sacraments. We begin each day with prayer. It really is a beautiful aspect of prayer to be able to share prayer with the students and teach them about prayer. After praying the rote prayers, I like to ask them, “What do you want to pray for today? What are your intentions?” Opening them to that, they are very willing to share their prayer for their grandparents, other family members, for safety on fieldtrips, etc. They are aware of what is around them.
One day I received a phone call in class. When I saw who it was from, I told the students that I felt that I needed to take the call as it was from where I had ministered before. On the line was a religious brother from Mississippi. He told me that two sisters in Mississippi whom I knew, were killed. Of course, the children were watching my face. After I got off the phone, I told them the news. They were very touched by the whole thing and saddened. The incident became real to them because of me.
I try to keep them aware of what is happening in the world and what needs prayer. In our fieldtrip to Kokee the kids got involved in helping to eradicate invasive plants. On our trip to Lihue, they learned about water. As they engaged with the fragile ecosystem of our island, these needs were brought to prayer.
In my personal prayer as a religious, I tend to rise early and spend that time in prayer. Each morning I pray from my list of people living and deceased. I ask God to give them eternal rest if they have passed, or to grant them whatever spiritual, physical, mental, psychological or financial need they might have for the day. Then, I pray for places that I have ministered to, asking God to bless them. There is also a special place that the sisters pray for. I put all those things together. God is the one in charge, always leading and helping us.
Sister Mary Ann Tupy is a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity. She is from Iowa and is 45 years professed. Her last place of ministry was as principal of St. Francis of Assisi School in Greenwood, Mississippi. At St. Theresa School in Kekaha, Kauai, she is a multi-subject teacher in grades 5-6, and science teacher in grades 7-8. She arrived in Hawaii in July and resides at St. Francis Convent.
