VIRIDITAS2: SOUL GREENING
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Out of all of the Daughters of St. Paul with parents in Hawaii, I think only myself, Sister Lily Duhaylonsod and Sister Joan Paula Arruda were the only ones not stationed in Hawaii. Sister Fay Pele, Sister Margaret Timothy Sato, Sister An Mei Lam, Sister Joane Caritas Gepitulan, Sister Luisa Yvonne Ielonimo and Sister Mary Damien Viera all were stationed here.
Usually, we are not assigned to our homeplace unless there is a special need. My parents attended St. Elizabeth Church in Aiea.
Before I entered the convent, I had finished my nursing degree in the Philippines. My family arrived in Hawaii in 1980 and I got a job at Kaiser Hospital as a nurse. Not wanting to continue working as a nurse, I started taking classes at Leeward Community College with the hopes of possibly becoming a social worker. In order to pay for tuition, I joined the Army Reserves at Fort DeRussy.
I met my boyfriend at Leeward Community College. He was a lecturer there. In one of my humanities classes, the teacher asked, “How do you see yourselves in five years?” Since I had just started college and was not even a United States citizen yet, I started to write down five things: 1) I will be a captain in the military. 2) I will probably have three children, but I want five. 3) I will have a house. 4) I will be married by then, etc. I did not share this with my boyfriend. He was not even Catholic.
One day, after our monthly active-duty drill, my boyfriend asked me if I had been to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, since he knew I was Catholic. I said, “Sure. We can go there for Mass.” After that first visit, I would often catch the bus to go to the cathedral to pray after school.
One time as I was praying and thinking about my life, I said, “There is something missing. Things are somehow within my reach.” I then met a friend who was also in the Army Reserves. We would talk about life. One day, she asked me, “Do you pray?” I was surprised as she is not a practicing Catholic.
I thought of the times that I did go to church and do all the “Catholic things.” After that, I really started to pray. I felt that there was something missing in my life and sincerely began to ask God to help me.
It so happened that one day, instead of walking along Fort Street Mall, I took the path along Bishop Street. And then, I saw the book center. I went in, saw some sisters, and looked around. As I completed my purchase of a cassette tape, Sister Susan James who was there asked me directly, “Do you want to be a sister?”
It was hearing that they were located in different places, that I think attracted me. I attended one of their recollections that Sunday in May and I entered the convent in August.
Looking back, I have asked “Do I really belong here?” However, after 37 years of religious profession, I can see through events that God really had a plan for me.
Sister Noel is currently stationed at the Daughters of St. Paul’s book center in St. Louis, Missouri.
