The outgoing Maryknoll president’s vision for the school parallels the founding sisters’ mission and charism
By the Maryknoll Sisters of the Central Pacific Region
We Maryknoll Sisters would like to express our deep gratitude to Perry Martin for his leadership, vision and values as president of Maryknoll School for the past 12 years. He has led the school in a very extraordinary way with a compassionate heart deeply rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church.
The Maryknoll Sisters had many opportunities planning events with President Martin and his staff. He is very committed to the mission of the Maryknoll Sisters and the charism of our founder, Mother Mary Joseph Rogers. He is a compassionate leader with a sincere devotion to prayer through the rosary. About a year ago when we Maryknoll Sisters accompanied a critically sick sister, it was President Martin himself, who led the rosary.
He has kept the Maryknoll Sisters worldwide congregation connected to the school, intentionally, through many school events and activities. President Martin and other school personnel visited the Maryknoll Sisters motherhouse in New York to enhance students’ learning. We take pride in his vision for the school because it parallels our mission and charism and teaches future generations about the Maryknoll Sisters’ history, purpose and charism. We have seen, firsthand, how Maryknoll students practice a missionary consciousness, able to use those skills at a young age. President Martin is committed to providing leadership through his forward-thinking mindset, positioned and always poised to embrace our mission and integrate it into the life of the school.
From the moment students step on campus, they learn “To whom much is given, much is expected.” This value does not come automatically to children; it needs a dynamic and inspirational leader, like Martin, to make it come alive in their individual lives. Since coming to Maryknoll School, he has integrated the Maryknoll Sisters into the life of the school.
Three years ago, under President Martin’s leadership, the school celebrated Maryknoll’s 90th anniversary in Hawaii. The school took this occasion to celebrate this milestone, and to provide learning opportunities about our mission, charism, and heritage.
President Martin’s generous and robust commitment to the mission and the charism of the Maryknoll Sisters is genuine. His personal belief in our mission has influenced his school-wide vision, believing that we are a global community making God’s love visible. Nothing can explain this better than the inception of the Mandarin Immersion Program in the school so that the children can understand how language influences culture, leading to how culture develops empathy.
The school is an icon of our Maryknoll Congregation as it carries out one of our values, selflessness, which translates into the school motto: “As one lamp lights another nor grows less, so nobleness enkindles nobleness.” He continually reminds the community that no matter how many other lamps they light, their lamp will not diminish. Instead, it will grow into a glorious blaze.
From the hearts of the Mary-knoll Sisters here in Hawaii-nei, we say aloha to President Perry Martin. It is difficult for us to see him leave.
We pray for President Martin and for God’s special blessings on his future.
