Dominican sisters mark 6 decades of service in Hawaii

By Jennifer Rector
Hawaii Catholic Herald

The Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines have influenced the lives of thousands of students in Hawaii for decades, giving their lives to service, education and love.

This year, the sisters in distinctive white-and-black habits are celebrating 60 years of the founding of their Hawaii region.

“Our Dominican charism is to preach the truth about God whom we contemplate in our hearts. We contemplate through prayer and study, live in common with our fellow sisters and share the fruits of our contemplation in doing our mission through education, pastoral work and caregiving,” said Sister Delia Obenza, the Hawaii regional superior.

Before starting its mission in Hawaii, the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary congregation was founded in Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines, in 1925.

“The congregation belongs to the worldwide family of the papal-approved Dominican Order,” Sister Obenza said. “Following in the footsteps of Saint Dominic de Guzman of Caleruega, Spain, the sisters carry out the practice of preaching, with its complementary counterpart of teaching.”

In 1964, the sisters were asked to come to Hawaii to help meet the growing needs in the Diocese of Honolulu for Catholic school education under the direction of Bishop James J. Sweeney.

“Since then, the apostolate has expanded beyond Hawaii to the continental United States to include pastoral ministry and a care home,” said Sister Obenza.

The sisters’ first mission in Hawaii was to open St. Elizabeth School in Aiea, and they have been there ever since.

“The first four sisters who came were Sister Caridad Pinuela, Sister Helen Magallon, Sister Juanita Veniola and Sister Felicitas Macsera,” said Sister Alma Amancio, the principal of St. Elizabeth School. Sister Pinuela became St. Elizabeth’s first principal.

St. Elizabeth School celebrated its own 60-year anniversary last month with a celebration throughout Memorial Day weekend. Bishop Larry Silva also officiated a thanksgiving Mass.

Since the beginning, the school has been living out its mission statement based on the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary’s charism.

According to the mission statement, “St. Elizabeth Catholic School is integral to the mission of the Catholic Church. Students are taught Jesus Christ’s transforming love, care, compassion and respect. With parents as the primary educators, students are provided a quality Catholic education through an integrated 21st-century curriculum, preparing them to face the challenges of life by living and modeling Catholic values.”

Sister Amancio said one legacy the Dominicans have established is a “firm foundation on the students’ Catholic faith, prayer life, values and their love for the Eucharist and their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially the rosary.”

“The education ministry of the sisters is the main apostolate of the congregation,” she said. “Having St. Elizabeth Catholic School reached its 60 years strengthens and inspires the sisters to work hard and strive more to do the mission of the church in this part of the globe.”

The sisters are also present in other schools such as Rosary Preschool in Waipio, St. Joseph School in Waipahu, Chaminade University of Honolulu and three campuses on the mainland.

“Reaching 60 years in the mission is a great blessing to our congregation and to all our sisters. It must be celebrated with gratitude and praise to the God who called us to expand the mission of our congregation in the U.S. through Hawaii first,” said Sister Obenza.

Even Sister Obenza was deeply impacted by the Dominican sisters when she was in school.

“I grew up with Maryknoll missionaries in the Philippines. The Dominican sisters took over Maryknoll when I was in fourth grade, and they became our family friends. Their prayer life, teachings and joy drew me to follow their footsteps,” she said.

Today she tries to be that light for others.

“I try to live my Dominican charism by following our regular observance, doing my responsibilities and living each day with a grateful heart. Being a joyful servant of God is being his true witness,” she said.

Though many might say the presence of the Dominican sisters in Hawaii has been a blessing, the sisters say it’s more of a gift for them to be able to live out their vocation fully.

“Our hearts are just grateful for the grace that we received and the opportunity to be an instrument of bearing the light of Christ, not only to our native land, but also in America,” said Sister Obenza. “Personally, I am truly grateful also that I became a part of the special mission here in Hawaii. I thank all the sisters who first came here and were courageous to leave the Philippines. It shows that it is not impossible when God calls us, and we obey his will.”

The sisters will be celebrating their 60th anniversary on June 22 — first with a thanksgiving Mass officiated by Bishop Larry Silva at 10 a.m. at Resurrection of the Lord Church in Waipio, then with a dinner in Waikiki.

“Our prioress general from the Philippines will be joining us as well,” Sister Obenza said. “We have guest priests and religious sisters, benefactors, parents, friends and alumni from our schools here in Hawaii and in the mainland. In the evening, we will have a celebratory dinner at the Hilton Hawaiian Village (in) Waikiki.”

The celebration will also be dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the religious profession of Sister Ma. Teresa Ebanen.

“With our presence in the Hawaii region for 60 years, the whole Dominican family is celebrating with us in thanking God for all his blessings,” Sister Obenza said. “We continue to spread the light of Christ through our teaching ministry, pastoral care and caregiving. We are all called to live life as true religious consecrated women and become channels of faith and bearers of truth. Reaching 60 years challenges us to be more authentic, dedicated and committed to our mission.”

For more information about the 60th anniversary celebration, visit dominicanshawaii.com.