(Courtesy Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP)
Viriditas2: Soul Greening
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
There are many saints by the name of Catherine. For example, there is St. Catherine Laboure, St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Catherine of Siena. It was only after I entered the convent that I learned of St. Catherine of Siena.
And, who would have ever imagined that I would be missioned one day in San Quirico d’Orcia in the province of Siena in the Italian region of Tuscany where St. Catherine grew up.
I spent three years in Italy before being missioned to Hawaii two years ago. What I have realized is that wherever one teaches, children are children. Although my fourth graders at St. Elizabeth School in Aiea are curious and talkative, that is their nature. It can be a challenge sometimes, but I love teaching children.
In San Quirico, where I used to teach in a preschool, the challenges were different. The main challenge was to be able to learn the language in order to communicate with the young children. Our parish priest sent my companion sisters and I to formal studies at a foreign language school.
Our classmates were from all over the world — Africa, Afghanistan, Russia, the Philippines and other places. But, the program was really good in that they taught us Italian through using root words in syllables.
The children in San Quirico became my teachers as well. I had heard that some of them got excited when they learned that an English-speaking sister would be their teacher. I remember one introducing himself saying, “Sister, my name is Paul.” In actuality however, his name was Paolo. My Italian really became Italian for them. I wanted to learn it well in order to teach them well. They also loved to learn English.
As I look back on my 27 years of religious profession, I really love my vocation. I like to say the rosary for my personal prayer. In the mornings, I wake up around 4:30 a.m. as the community prays morning prayer at 5 a.m. before the school day begins. In the evening, before I go to bed, I do pray the rosary and sometimes pray it in Italian following along on YouTube.
Going back to the Dominican St. Catherine, I am actually a lover and follower of the Carmelite St. Therese of the Child Jesus. I had wondered why my mother named me Catherine. I definitely am not like any of the saints I mentioned before. Also being the eight out of nine children, the majority of my siblings have names that begin with the letter “H.” For example, “Hector,” “Hilda,” “Helen Grace,” etc. Only one sister and I have names that begin with the letter “C” — Cynthia and Catherine.
I later realized my mom’s name also began with the letter “C”— Caridad.
As for my vocation to religious life, I did not know any Dominican sisters growing up. A family friend suggested that I visit the Dominicans of Molo, and thus I just went. Since then, wherever I am missioned, I say, “Whatever the Holy Spirit says and to wherever the assignment is written, I will go.”
