Peter To Rot (1912-1945) Catechist – New Britain, PNG

This month Pope Leo XIV will canonise the first Catholic Papuan Saint – Bl. Peter ToRot as a Martyr for the Faith.  He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby with members of his family present. He was then declared as a “saint in the making” because of his defence of family life and the dignity of Christian marriage.

For over 40 years our Congregation has sent missionaries to Papua New Guinea. Being invited to join other religious by the new diocese of Mendi was a real proud moment for four RNDM Sisters: Srs Mary Bernadette, Mary Majella, and Margaret Dorizzi, to support the Australian mission in 1969 and Sr Marie Lawlor from the UKI province who had been missioned to Australia. This occasion of canonisation will mean much to those of us who have followed on and worked many years with Catechists and those preparing for a full religious life. Some of us lived among the tribal people in various villages, attending to their medical needs, sitting daily with women and children, as the men toiled in the gardens. For days on end, many of us shared the Good News of the Gospel with so many catechists and young seminarians so as to be part of their training to carry the gospel to many far outreaching places in the Highlands. For us, this was the greatest gift of our mission. One of our biggest memories will be sleeping under the stars, climbing mountains, slushing through mud, crossing rapid rivers and driving over precarious bridges often consisting only of two logs! The challenge of learning one or two of the 1000 languages used in PNG and to simply mingle in this unique culture of these remarkable Melanesian people, was for many of us a treasure we will always hold in our hearts and memory.

One great treasure will be the canonisation of the martyred Catechist, Peter ToRot who died holding his own against the Japanese during the Second World War. He died for the faith and on Oct 19^th he will be canonised by Pope Leo X1V as the first Catholic saint not only for Papua New Guinea but for the New Britain region who suffered awful atrocities during the Second World War. Over the years, we have been privileged to work with catechists, preparing them to carry the faith forward and so this event will certainly be a recognition of the work done by thousands of men and women, young and old, who have chosen to carry the Word to the remote villages and to dedicate their lives to Christ.

Bai mipela askim Bikpela long givim blessim long ol husat bin wokmanmeri long dispela ministri na bambai ol i mekim oltaim wok bilong Bikpela. Pita i bin givim laip bilong em yet long dispela pipel, long ol manmeri na long kantri. Long pre bilong Pita To Rot mipela bambai stap wantaim ol Katekis, na long ol manmeri b’long Papua Niugini.

Peter ToRot Katekis Trenim Skul, Mendi Diocese – Catechists trained by RNDMs in Ialibu, Pangia, Kagua and Wiliame.

1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1961, 1973, 1885, 1997, 2021: a born  leader, you inspire confidence from all around you. You are conservative, methodical and good with your hands. Guard against being chauvinistic and always demanding you own way. The Buffalo would be successful as a skilled surgeon, general or hairdresser. Some famous Buffalos: Napolean, Van Gogh, Walt Disney, Clark Gable and Richard Nixon and MAYBE YOU!

The three communities in Wealdstone gathered for a special dinner prepared to celebrate Chinese New Year with our Sister from Hong Kong, and TÉT, the Vietnamese New Year, with our Vietnamese Sister.  The dining room had both Chinese and Vietnamese decorations for the occasion, and as we gathered, we sang the blessing before our meal in Vietnamese!

For the next four days there was a special intention in prayer and celebration:

1. Peace and harmony in the country.
2. The celebration of Eucharist in the cemetery in remembrance of their ancestors.
3. For a good harvest in the New Year and for the farmers and workers.
4. Catholics pray for the priests and Sisters in families and in the country.

LUNAR NEW YEAR – Lucan (Ireland)

We started our celebration of the Lunar New Year with the Eucharist, which was pre-recorded in the Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City (as Vietnam is seven hours ahead of us). It was a very prayerful celebration and the floral decoration in the Cathedral were absolutely stunning. After the Mass, we had a celebratory dinner when the Sisters received their “lucky money.”

The local Vietnamese Community had given us Vietnamese food for our celebratory dinner. I won’t try to explain the meaning attached to some of the foods but as you will see from the picture there was a little bit of Irish thrown in with the Baileys!

Photos with permission – © RNDM Community

Before all things in this jubilee year, all glory and all thanksgiving . . . may grace charity and peace be always with us.

Euphrasie Barbier, 1886.

Photo: New Mural Wealdstone- RNDM Archives, 2020.

What did our first sisters find here in Wealdstone in 1920?

“A brook ran its babbling course past the convent, and by the principal street.  There, too, hawthorn hedges, in the fragrant pink and white of May blossoms, shed their delicate petals like a profusion of confetti. With few streets and houses with rustic bridge rills  . . . Wealdstone presented a pretty rural scene. Wealdstone was then the modern day equivalent of departing for the countryside.  “A Seed Grew:” Silver Jubilee, RNDM 1920-1945- RNDM Archives.

November 13, 2020: The sisters living in Wealdstone marked the occasion of arriving in Wealdstone, Harrow, North London, 100 years ago.

Despite COVID the remaining sisters in Wealdstone were able to celebrate as best they could with a special Prayer Service and a small celebratory meal to remember the sisters who first came to Wealdstone in 1920 from Deal. In 1870, our sisters arrived from Lyon with our Foundress Euphrasie Barbier to assist Miss Boys who had set up an orphanage in Middle Street, Deal, and we carried that on until she died. The school developed and from it we founded two schools, St Mary’s Primary, West Street and St Ethelburga’s High School, Queen Street. As we had a surplus of sisters now in Deal, many coming from France due to civil and religious unrest, in 1920, nine sisters were asked to come to London to assist with another mission with children that had been set up by the French Congregation: Sisters of St Chretienne:

“On the 19th Sept, 1903, the Sisters of Ste Chretienne (Metz, Lorraine, France) bought a piece of land in Wealdstone (now High St) which they had hoped suitable to build a permanent school plus temporary iron buildings to include an iron roofed chapel for Wealdstone. It was situated on Harrow Weald Road backing on to the proposed Dryden Road. The cottage was called “Elfordleigh” and the surrounding land was for building extra buildings for the school. The upkeep of the land was costly and they were not able to build as desired, yet the little school of children was progressing. In 1919, the number reached 101 paying pupils and 40 mission pupils (free)! The small cottage and huts were proving to be too small as people had heard of the sisters and were happy to get a Christian education for their children.  After the anti-religious laws and feelings in France relaxed the Sisters of Ste Chretienne were anxious to return to Metz. In 1920, under the guidance of Mother Marie de Sainte-Rosaire (Mother Mary of the Holy Rosary, our second Superior General), after discussions with Sr Ste Marie de St Luc (Superior of Maison de Wealdstone –  Srs of St Chretienne) nine sisters from Deal were asked to come at different stages to Wealdstone to take over the little “school.” They were accompanied by Sister Marie Etienne, Assistant General. As “Elfordleigh” was proving to be too small, the RNDM sisters purchased another property close by—what later became 188 High Street.”  Taken from the Prayer Service, Nov 13, 2020. Sources: A Glimpse of the Past. A. Heir, 2007. RNDM Archives.

Photo: RNDM Archives.

From the many highlights of our day, one was the Zoom greeting from our CLT (Congregation Leadership Team) and the Rome Community who joined us on the day for general greetings and their special prayer in song for us. Secondly, we were able to communicate with the Sisters of St Chretienne in both the US and Metz, France, who kindly sent materials from their archives regarding their early mission to Wealdstone in 1903-20.  It was wonderful to include them in our prayers and we are sure that we will be able to connect with them again as we prepare to gather and research further the full history of our presence in Wealdstone.

We are beginning to realise how quickly life passes. The years follow one another with such rapidity that we find we have gone a long way, almost without noticing it. Whatever, may have been our little or great trials in life we are happy if few remain faithful to God’s grace in every circumstance, doing everything to the best of our ability moment by moment out of love for God who never turns away from us. (Euphrasie Barbier 1892)

Our nine pioneer sisters who came to Wealdstone:

Sr Mary St Pierre (nee Janet Stewart) 1884-1989); Sr Mary St Francis Bogia (nee Annie O ‘Brien) 1877-1963); Sr Mary St Innocent   (nee Louise Aloisia Herold) 1894-1982); St Mary Olive (nee Mary Anne Lawlor) 1889-1975;        Sr Marie de Montfort (nee Jeanne Adam) 1894-1975; St Mary St Donatus (nee Bridget McPartland) 1891-1965; Sr Marie St Maurice (nee Adèle Michel) 1873-1948; St Mary St Dominque de Val (nee Catherine McSweeney) 1893-1926.

May they rest in peace

                                                  The Present Community – Wealdstone

Photos: Permission from RNDM Archives.

  Ad Multos Annos

 (Euphrasie Barbier 1867)

On December 18^th Wealdstone welcomed Sr Gertrude Atua from Wewak, Papua New Guinea, to spend Christmas with us. Gertrude is presently studying at St Anselm’s, Cliftonville and during the holiday break had to find a place for Christmas so her provincial contacted us, knowing that we had previously been on mission to Papua New Guinea to ask for advice about where to send Gertrude during the Christmas break that would be gentle and understanding toward her.  Gertrude belongs to a Local Congregation, founded in 1952 by Archbishop  Leo Arkfeld in Wewak, the extreme north coast of Papua Guinea, calling them the Rosary Sisters; consequently, they have no communities overseas or connected to any other European congregation.

The community in Spencer Road invited her to stay during which time she would have a chance to meet everyone in Wealdstone as we came together for the Christmas festivities. Rose Mary was able to take her around the city, especially to see the haus of Missus Quin (Buckingham Palace), and to meet the PNG High Commissioner, HE. Winnie Kiap, who welcomed us graciously with coffee and many stories shared in Pidgin.  Rose Mary was able to meet up also with two other participants at St Anselm’s who were her former seminarian students: a Solomon Islander and a Fijian, now Marist priests, staying at Notre Dame des France, Leicester Square for their holidays.

Both Margaret Doherty and Rose Mary were able to brush up their Melanesian Pidgin to make Gertrude feel at home and spent time to stori about people we all know in the Highlands and Port Moresby. She was delighted to meet the three sisters in Wealdstone who had been to her country on Mission, and met with Rose Mullan when she was welcomed in Sturry for her final days of her holiday. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get to Beechcourt to meet with Roseann Hamill or for her to get to Ireland to see Marie Lawlor who she remembered seeing as a young girl coming to her village… it was the gap between the teeth that gave Marie away!

The sisters in Euphrasie Barbier Community, Sturry welcomed Gertrude for the few remaining days of the holiday and we enjoyed a rainy day out in Canterbury with Winifred, literally “singing in the rain” on our way home.

Gertrude wishes to thank each of the sisters in 108, 192 and 176 and EB for their personal greeting to her and warm welcome and she extends to us all her gratefulness and promise of prayers. Each day in Sturry she prayed at the tomb of Euphrasie firstly not only thanking her for sending RNDMs to her country but also to send more RNDMs in the years to come!!!

Sr. Rose Mary Harbinson, Rndm

The records all show that she’s now come of age.

A hundred long years she has been on this earth,

And seen many changes occur since her birth,

No Radio, films or TV in her day.

Penicillin, or drugs, to keep sickness at bay.

No dishwasher, credit cards, carpets, or phones,

And no running water piped into the homes.

But Julie, though born in those far away days,

Is very progressive in so many ways.

She learned the computer, developed her aims,

Took interest in politics, crosswords and games.

She looks very smart, has the walk of a Queen,

So mentally active, composed and serene.

Observant, discreet and as wise as can be,

A sensible lifestyle may well be the key.

May peace, joy and love ever brighten your way,

Your good common sense carry you through each day.

God Bless and reward you and lighten your cares,

And give you good health for so many more years.

A great inspiration in all of our eyes,

Taking care of yourself, independent and wise.

We congratulate you for all you have done.

May God be your strength, till the battle is won.

Sr Una Rutledge, RNDM

The keynote speaker was Prof. Lamin Sanneh, from D. Willis James Professor of Missions and World Christianity at Yale Divinity School and Professor of History at Yale University, and responses were made by Archbishop Kevin McDonald and Fr Paul Richardson.

Srs Margaret Doherty, Liz Hartigan and Rose Mary Harbinson attended the conference. It was a great opportunity to meet old friends and familiar faces from various associations related to Mission Appeals, (CMU) Mission Awareness in parishes and Inter-Church groups – Missio and St Joseph’s Missionary Society (Mill Hill).

A notable book by Lamin Sanneh available from Redemptorist Publications: Translating the Message: The Missionary Impact on Culture was the basis of his address. The trademark of a missionary life is a passion for Jesus – a passion for his people. Sanneh presented a theological reflection on society since Vatican II and on the Islamic influence of recent years on the west. As a Muslim convert to Christianity, he offered a very profound and in-depth understanding of the Muslim mind and how Islam and Christianity can share a common goal for the good of all. He used his own African culture and proverbs to stress his concerns for the west and the ever increase of individualism in our world today: If you want to walk fast you walk alone. If you want to walk far- you walk with others.

See the full talks of Prof. Kamin Sanneh on following pages.

Prayer for Mission

God of all peoples,

You call us together in love and send us out on mission

to share the gift of faith that all may know Christ.

May we be effective messengers of your Word,

bringing the compassion of Christ, the Light of the World,

to all who are poor and marginalised.

We ask this through Jesus Christ.

Sr. Rose Mary Harbinson, Rndm

Sisters Kathleen Owens and Eileen Hobbins RNDM

The celebration began with the religious of the Diocese being invited to join Bishop Joseph Toal for a meal in Xaviour Hall at Carfin Grotto.  This was followed by evening prayer of the Church led by the Bishop in the Glass Chapel – a souvenir of John’s visit to Scotland.

Next we made our way to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Good Aid, a short distance away.  The Annual Mass for Vocations was combined with the celebration of Consecrated Life.

A Parish Choir led a packed congregation with music chosen from the Mass of the Sacred Heart and the Mass of Wisdom.   Religious did the readings and intercessions and a Sister addressed the Congregation appealing to parents to help children reflect on God’s plan for them and not just “what do you want to be when you grow up”

All were invited to the parish hall for refreshments and to see the displays set up by the Religious, Parishioners, Priests, Seminarians and the sixth year pupils from the various High Schools in the Diocese.   All mingled and enjoyed the experience.  One head Master spoke of his memories as a young pupil of Our Lady of the Missions School in Cathcart.  For all present it was an evening of joy and inspiration.