Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians new to Hawaii, from left, Sister Jincy Thomas, Sister Philisita Jyrwa and Sister Rachel Marius. (Photo courtesy of Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP)
By Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Special to the Herald
For 22 years, the parishioners and parents of St. Catherine School in Kapaa, Kauai, had been praying for the return of nuns to their school. On Oct. 7 their prayers were answered.
Three Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC) arrived at Lihue airport to assume involvement in parish ministry at St. Catherine of Alexandria Church and School. They are Sister Jincy Thomas from the southern India state of Kerala; Sister Rachel Marius from the northeastern India state of Manipur; and Sister Philisita Jyrwa from the northeastern India state of Meghalaya.
The sisters were warmly greeted by St. Catherine’s administrator Father Nicholas Apetorgbor and parochial vicar Father Dario Rinaldi, and with more leis of aloha from about a dozen parishioners.
The three sisters expand the community’s Hawaii mission to seven members. Four others serve on Oahu.
Sister Jincy Thomas is the new principal of St. Catherine School. Sister Rachel Marius is the homeroom teacher for grades five and six. Sister Philisita Jyrwa directs the preschool and teaches religion in grade two. All three Sisters were involved in education and pastoral ministry before they came to Hawaii.
Hawaii is the first foreign mission for all three of the sisters who come from different provinces of the same religious congregation in India.
“We did not get to know each other until we came together in our generalate house,” said Sister Jincy in a conversation the three sisters had with the Hawaii Catholic Herald this month.
Sister Philisita said that “coming such a far distance, there were some anxieties.”
Sister Rachel agreed. “Yes, what would Hawaii be like? What would its culture be like? Its educational system? Once we reached Hawaii however, we found the people so welcoming and so loving. There is already a sense of belongingness here.”
“Of course, we do need to learn the new educational system,” said Sister Jincy, “But we are slowly getting into it, adapting and learning about the functioning of the school and what the students and their parents expect.”
“The students have not seen religious for a long time,” said Sister Philisita. “Sometimes they ask about our habits.”
Sister Rachel said, “They are curious about our life, and whether in hot weather we have something else to wear.”
“Now that the students see us every day, they come to us and talk to us freely,” said Sister Jincy. “We don’t seem so strange anymore.”
The sisters were concerned their accent and foreign terminology might hinder communication.
“However, all is fine,” said Sister Rachel. “It becomes a welcome learning for us.”
“All in all,” said Sister Philisita, “it is nice to feel comfortable with people here and to know they feel comfortable with us. Seeing the smiles on parents’ faces is really nice.”
The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians was founded in Guwahati, northeast India, in 1942, by Bishop Stephen Ferrando, SDB. The community is dedicated to the service of the poor, especially the less privileged and marginalized of society. It ministers in six provinces in India, has a delegation in Italy and a mission in Africa. Four of its sisters live in a convent in Aiea and engage in parish and hospice ministry.
St. Catherine School was blessed in 1946 and first staffed by the Sisters of Mercy of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM). In 1969, the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary assumed staffing of the school until 2000.
