Hawaii’s Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, after their feast day Mass at St. Elizabeth Church May 24, from left, Sister Lucinda Salboro, Sister Meristella Umdor, Sister Wansuk Kyndait and Sister Marykutty Kottuppallil. (Photo courtesy of St. Elizabeth Church)
By Deacon Gary and Valerie Streff
Special to the Herald
Hawaii’s four Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians celebrated their feast day with a special Mass May 24 at St. Elizabeth Church in Aiea.
Presiding at the liturgy for the feast of Mary Help of Christians were Sacred Hearts Father Santhosh Thottankara, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Pearl City, Father Arnold Ortiz, pastor of St. Elizabeth, and Father Mario Raquepo, pastor of St. Stephen Church in Nuuanu, accompanied by Deacons Fred Carahasen, Jeffrey Calamayan and Gary Streff.
It was an event of joyful thanksgiving and prayer for the religious community’s continual service of charity to the people of Hawaii.
The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians were invited from India in 2008 to work at St. Joseph Church in Hilo by fellow India native Father Thomas (Purayidathil) Joseph. In 2011, they moved to Oahu and are now serving in social ministry, religious education, pastoral work, hospice care and the homebound ministry.
- Sister Meristella Umdor ministers at St. Elizabeth Church as the director of religious education, sacristan, in homebound and hospital ministry, and in bereavement ministry.
- Sister Wansuk Kyndait is stationed at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Pearl City where she teaches at the school and does pastoral work at the parish.
- Sister Marykutty Kottuppallil, works at St. Stephen Church as a sacristan, in homebound ministry and as a chaplain at Nabian Hospice.
- Sister Lucinda Salboro, who joined the order from Hawaii, serves at St. Pius X Church in Manoa as a secretary and pastoral worker.
The Missionary Sisters, the first indigenous congregation in northeast India, were founded on Oct. 24, 1942, in Guwahati, Assam, by Bishop Stephen Ferrando of Shillong. The order has more than 1,500 members working in India, Germany, Italy, Ethiopia, Sudan, Lesotho, Mozambique, Myanmar, Swaziland, Sri Lanka and in the only one U.S. state, Hawaii.
In founding the order in the spirit of the Blessed Mother, Bishop Ferrando said that it “must be the congregation of charity, for the little children, for the sick, for the aged, the women; and by your charity you will draw all people to our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This year, the sisters are forming their first lay movement in Hawaii called Women Apostles for Catechesis. The Women Apostles for Catechesis will work alongside the Missionary Sisters in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and focuses on the welfare of women, girls and children. The members will be trained in catechesis and mission work.
The Missionary Sisters are calling all women from all parishes to join this lay movement, following the charism of Mary Help of Christians. Those seeking a deeper relationship with Christ, through prayer, fasting, adoration, reconciliation, education and service, are invited to an orientation meeting 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. June 5 at St. Elizabeth Church.
Consider becoming a Women Apostle for Catechesis. For information, contact Sister Meristella at umeristella@gmail.com or call 725-4080.
