Hawaii’s original Chinese Carmelites pose with Bishop John J. Scanlan, who invited them to Hawaii in 1973. From left, Sister Agnella Iu, Sister Mary Caroline Chow, Mother Mary Agnes Tse, Sister Agnes Marie Wong, Sister Teresita Tam, Sister Mary Angel Wong and Sister Marie Tang. All have died except for Sister Agnella. (HCH file photo)
The death of Sister Marie Tang of the Child Jesus leaves only one of the original seven sisters, Sister Agnella Iu, plus two local vocations who joined the community in recent years, Sister Elizabeth DeJesus and Sister Therese Wilson.
Bishop John J. Scanlan invited the Carmelite group to Hawaii from Hong Kong in 1973. The other five sisters were Mother Mary Agnes Tse, Sister Mary Angel Wong, Sister Mary Caroline Chow, Sister Teresita Tam and Sister Agnes Marie Wong.
The Carmelites moved into a convent vacated by the Marist Missionary Sisters who had withdrawn from service at St. Stephen Seminary after it closed its high school in 1970. Over time, with the help of volunteers, the sisters developed the surrounding two acres of land with terraced pools in which they raised fish for food and to sell. They also grew fruit trees and tended bee hives for honey.
In 1985, a donor paid for the construction of a chapel that could accommodate about 30 visitors for Mass.
As a cloistered, contemplative order, the sisters purposefully removed themselves from the outside world. Their main apostolate is prayer.
“We came here to pray for all people, especially for those in Hawaii,” said the late Sister Agnes Marie several years ago when she was prioress. “We also especially pray for priests. As we cannot work outside, we support everyone with our prayers. Our life of prayer and contemplation is our apostolate.”
Of Hawaii’s original Carmelites, Mother Mary Agnes Tse died in 1999, Sister Mary Angel Wong in 2004 and Mother Agnes Marie Wong and Sister Mary Caroline Chow both died on Oct. 13, 2014, just 10 hours apart. Sister Teresita Tam, who lived to be 95, died in 2015.
