I Said my "YES"

Psalm 139 v 13-14 :
truly you have formed my innermost being , you knit me in my mother’s womb.

I give you thanks that I am fearfully wonderfully made, wonderful are your works.
Inspired by these words, I would like to share a few lines on how the GOD OF SURPRISES called me to be HIS Instrument of love.

The God of the Impossible always has His Way and His Plan for each one of us. I was staying far from the Church and did not know any religious. Still, God sent numerous people to help me during the course of my searching to discover and to have the courage to respond to HIM wholeheartedly .

First ,there was a committed catechist. Be it shine or rain ,he came to our small unknown village- Bertam Ulu , faithfully to teach us ( about 15 of us teenagers ). He travelled from Air Salak on his motorcycle and prepared us for the Sacrament of Confirmation . Before the Confirmation day, he urged us to pray hard to the Holy Spirit for the gifts . Then after the Confirmation classes, he lit the spark of vocation in me by giving me the Chinese “Herald” to read. I could feel the stirring interest growing inside me and I felt this could perhaps be what I had been searching for. So , I “ shopped” around the Chinese speaking Orders to find out more. When I voiced my interest for the religious life to my mum, she was strongly against it. I knew there would be obstacles but that did not stop me from entrusting myself to the Lord. I prayed that His will be done.

Later, while I was teaching in a Kindergarten in Plentong , Johor, I met more English speaking Sisters. Aware of my inadequacy in English, I tried to avoid them and ignore the inner prompting of the Lord . But the Lord knew what was best for me and how to get me. It was through an outing with some friends in Desaru seaside that the Lord showed me who He really was. On that trip, the Lord saved me from two major accidents. He caught hold of my hand when I called out to Him just as I was about to drown. He saved me a second time on the return journey. I was supposed to be in the car that went down the cliff but because of His divine intervention, I was asked to move to another car. I was trembling with great fear after the whole event.. That evening , during Mass I simply promised the Lord not to run away from His calling anymore.

As I surrendered to Jesus, another great challenge hit me when the Apostolate Nuncio ,then in 1987, came for his Apostolate Visit to Johor Bahru and had a meeting in Plentong .Without knowing me well, he challenged me to be more proficient in English. From that time on, he constantly supported me in my vocation journey.

I was introduced to the Canossian Sisters in Singapore. My first meeting with the Canossian Sister, Sr. Christina Yeo was in his Apostolate Apartment, Singapore. Then we met in Serangoon – Joyville ,almost every weekend. As time went by, I decided to experience the different kinds of work in their ministry. So I was assigned to be an assistant nurse in St. Joseph’s Home in Jurong. Having to take care of cancer patients really broadened my perspective of life and moulded me ever deeper about the meaning of life. I had a totally different experience of the old and the sick and with those innocent small children .I was touched by the authentic pastoral witness of the Sisters. They serve others with so much patience, love, gentleness , kindness and great sacrificing spirit .

Deep down in my heart , I felt the Lord was calling me to follow Him more closely and to serve Him wholeheartedly in the Canossian Spirit . With the firm encouragement of the Apostolate Nuncio and the grace of God, I humbly responded to His call in 1994. The Lord has blessed me with a few companions on the journey in Postulancy and Noviatiate in Singapore .

I put all my trust in the Lord that He will keep his promises just like in

(insert pictures 1,2,3 at this side)

JEREMIAH 33v14- .
“ I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah.”
ISAIAH 38 v-“ The Lord will do what he has promised” .

With the help of Mother Mary ,I said my first “ Yes” on 1 January 1998.
The love of God has never left me even in the most sorrowful and doubtful moments. He continues to sustain me with His graces , blessings and gives HIMSELF freely in the EUCHARIST and THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

He invites ,challenges and demands me to give the best in the ministry ,to witness to His great love through teaching, catechizing, visiting, breaking the Bread of Life-His Holy Word. I share the deep desire of our Founder St. Magdalene who said “ Prevention is better than cure” . and so I serve the little ones by educating them, forming them and moulding their characters to be fully alive according to the famous words of John Power S.J , I feel enthusiastic about working with the youths and to help them know themselves better and to keep their priorities right. I find it a challenge to understand the culture of the youths and to accept them and to journey with them in faith.

I am looking forward to better myself by constant learning, reflecting and to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that I can serve the Lord even more generously, faithfully and joyfully.

Sr. Lucy Eng, FdCC

Sacred Heart Convent

Melaka

How to Become a Catholic Nun

by Sister Julie on November 16, 2008

Ever wonder if God might be calling you to become a Catholic nun or sister? Don’t know where to begin now that you feel drawn to looking into religious life?

You’ve landed on the right page. Here you’ll learn about how to become a Catholic sister or nun. You’ll get a general idea of where to start, what the general logistics are, and some helpful hints from someone who’s been there and is now a Catholic sister. My intention here is just to get you started on your way. As you move towards checking out a religious community, check in with vocation director who can give you specifics about how that particular community goes about the steps for becoming a nun.

Prerequisites for Becoming a Catholic Sister or Nun

1. You must be a Catholic woman.
If you are not Catholic, there are other forms of religious life in Christian communities that are not exclusively Catholic (e.g., Benedictine Women of Madison) as well as in other religious traditions (e.g., Buddhist nuns). If you wish to become a Catholic, talk with a pastor at a local Catholic parish.

2. You must be single.
You cannot be currently married in the eyes of the Church. If you are, you must obtain an annulment in order to consider becoming a nun. Widows may validly become nuns.

3. You must not have any dependent children.
There are many women who have children who become nuns. The children, however, must no longer be dependent.

4. You must not have any debts upon entrance to the novitiate.
Novitiate is usually a year or two into the formal process of becoming a nun. If you do have debts, work to eliminate them. Don’t stop looking into a religious community because of a student loan or something similar. Talk with the vocation director about how to proceed.

5. You must be healthy.
It’s important that you be physically and psychologically able to engage in the mission of the religious community. However “healthy” is a relative term and doesn’t automatically exclude people with managed illnesses or disabilities. This is an important thing to discuss with the vocation director.

6. You must 18 to 40-ish years old.
Although the age limit used to be confined to 18-25, communities accept women up to age 40, and many accept women beyond their 40s and into their 50s. If you are in the higher range of age, don’t be discouraged from pursing religious life. Often this is addressed on a person-by-person basis.

7. Other considerations
A college degree is not an absolute prerequisite; however, many religious communities do encourage that you have at least a bachelor’s degree prior to entering. Professional experience (not necessarily a full-fledged career, though that is welcomed too) is also encouraged prior to entering.

How to Become a Nun

1. Pray
The most important place to begin is to pray (or continue praying) about this call you sense. Your feeling that God is calling you is not some fluke or self-conjured up idea; it is a gift from God, an invitation into a deeper relationship with God. No matter how your vocation ends up expressing itself (nun, spouse, parent, teacher, advocate, etc.), you are being called right here, right now, to draw closer to God.

Be open to listening to God, no matter how crazy or confusing it feels. Embrace the possibility of whatever God has in mind for you. It may be a radical shift to a different way of life than you imagined for yourself, or it may be something you’ve kinda known all along. And it could be both!

Remain faithful to pray even when it is difficult or feels like it is going nowhere. Spend more time in prayer and/or be more intentional in the prayer time that you already have. If you are used to praying first thing in the morning, consider praying again before you go to bed. Review your day and ask God to help you see how God has been with you in the daily stuff of life. If you are drawn to the Rosary, consider praying the Rosary with the specific intention of knowing more deeply how Mary and how Jesus responded to their calling.

Read scripture, particularly the stories of people trying to figure out how God is calling them and how they can respond. Here are some of those stories (for more check out this listing of Bible stories from vocations.ca):
Mary (Luke 1:26-38)
Ruth (Book of Ruth 1:15-18)
Disciples (John 1:35-50)
Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1: 4-10)
Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-10; 49:1-6)
Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-21)
John and Peter (Matthew 4:18-22)
Paul (Romans 1:1-7; Acts of the Apostles 9:1-19)

Imagine yourself in the story. How would you respond? What words is God speaking to you?
Pray with others. Participate in the Eucharistic Liturgy, attend to a bible study or faith-sharing group, pray with others who can encourage and support you.

2. Meet Nuns
Do you know any real nuns? Do you have nuns at your parish or school? Do you work with nuns? Getting to know nuns personally is a very important step in becoming a nun because each one is an example of how to live religious life “for real”. Also, interacting with nuns gives you a chance to begin to imagine yourself as a nun and see how it “fits”. You don’t even have to tell the nuns that you are scoping them out! I spent a good amount of time doing “nun surveillance” before ever saying anything to them (well, just one of them) about what I was thinking. Some nuns “fit” with how I felt God calling me; others, while stellar examples of religious, didn’t quite fit me. I learned that that was okay and that religious life is very diverse, and along the way I found that I was called to the IHM way of religious life.

What are some ways you can do nun surveillance or interact with nuns?
attend Mass or a prayer service at a religious community’s Motherhouse or convent
go on retreat held by or led by nuns

participate in a “nun run” (an event in which you travel from convent to convent with other discerning women in order to check out communities and get to know a variety of nuns)
take a course or workshop taught by a nun

pretend you have a problem with a paper you’re writing for your nun professor so you get one-on-one time (I had this mastered, but then I think she figured it out — she never let on!)
invite a nun out to dinner or a movie

help a nun fix her computer or start a Facebook page

volunteer at a convent by helping with transportation needs or by organizing a craft experience or by shelving library books or by participating in some kind of social justice advocacy with them
get a spiritual director who is a nun

attend an event at which there is likely to be a high population of nuns

If you are in a place where there are no nuns around, you can do online nun surveillance.

read A Nun’s Life and check out other Blogs by Catholic Nuns and see what the nuns are like — lurk all you want

visit religious communities’ websites (VISION Vocation Network has a great directory of Catholic religious communities online) — many sisters’ websites feature personal stories as well as info on the community itself

sign up for Facebook and friend a nun (I’m on FB and would be happy to be friended!)

find websites of ministries run by or sponsored by nuns to get a feel for their ministries (e.g., Sandalstrap, Mount Providence Child Development Center, EarthSpirit, Villa Maria Academy, Heartworks Art Ministry)

3. Talk with a Mentor
There’s nothing like saying something out loud to make it really real! So start talking to trusted people about your attraction to religious life. These mentors could be family or friends. You might have a dear aunt or a close cousin that you can share you thoughts without fear of being discouraged. Talk with friends whom you know that will be supportive of you while you explore religious life and this feeling of being called to become a nun.

You may also consider talking with someone like a nun or a priest or a chaplain. There are many leaders in parishes and schools that are there to listen and encourage you on your spiritual journey. A more intense way of doing this is by looking into spiritual direction. A spiritual director is someone who is trained to help you discern, think, and pray about how God is moving in your life. Most are familiar with religious life (many in fact are religious) and can be great mentors and sounding boards as you consider where you are and where you are going.

4. Contact a Religious Community
You’ll know when it’s the right time for you to move from learning about nuns and religious life to formally exploring religious life with a specific community. It can be a leap of faith making this transition, but remember, just because you contact a religious community doesn’t mean you are signed up for life. Religious communities know that it can take a while for people to get to know them and religious life in general. They welcome you where you are at and are there to help you discern if God is calling you to their particular community.

So how do you do contact a religious community? If you know a nun in the community you are attracted to, ask her. She’ll be a good companion (if you want her to) along the way and will introduce you to the Vocation Director and other sisters if you so desire. If you don’t know a nun personally in the community, contact the Vocation Director of the community directly. You can find her name and contact info on the community’s website. You can also contact the Vocations Office in your diocese. They have tons of info to help you discern and find a community that “fits” for you. To find your diocese’s vocation office, consult the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ directory of dioceses.

VISION Vocation Network also has their directory of Catholic religious communities which you can use to find contact info for Vocation Directors. They also have a very innovative and helpful online Vocation Match feature.

5. Work with the Vocation Director
The vocation director of a particular religious community is the official person who helps you to get to know the community and to discern God’s call in your life. The Vocation Director is a member of the community that you are considering joining. Her job is to help you get to know the community and to help the community get to know you. She’ll be the one that leads you through all the formal steps of becoming a nun within that particular religious community. While you are relating with the vocation director, you are not under any obligation to stay with that community. You may decide to look into other communities or to date someone. Don’t be afraid to do this. Explore and experience the things you need to in order to find out if religious life with a particular community is for you. Vocation directors are very understanding of this and know that it is a normal part of discerning.

As you come to your own sense of commitment to becoming a nun, you’ll grow in your own sense of wanting to be committed to this particular community. That’s when you move toward “breaking up” with other communities you’ve looked into or with the person you’ve been dating. You’ll know when the time is right.

Some things that you might do as you work with a vocation director:

meet regularly in person or by phone

attend a vocation retreat with other women that the vocation director is working with
go to the sisters’ community events such as Mass, particular meetings or workshops just for the sisters, etc.

explore the community’s motherhouse and campus

learn about the community’s charism, spirituality, history, and mission

visit organizations and ministries sponsored by the community

attend vocation-oriented events within the diocese

help her get to know you by having her visit your school or job or taking her to your favorite hang-outs

discuss religious life and the vows

When you and the vocation director are ready to officially move forward with your desire to join the community, you’ll probably move more into working on the formal steps for joining the community:

address the practical requirements to enter the community (Canon Law, finances, property, psychological and physical assessments, etc.)

envision your transition into the community (when, where, how)

formally meet with other members of the vocation team and with the congregational leader (General Superior)

The vocation director will lead you through all of these things and is there as your advocate. She’s there to encourage you, challenge you, and pray with you. Although she is the official link to the community, you are encouraged to befriend others in the community.

6. Join the Community
Once you and the community have discerned that yes, in fact, God is calling you to one another, you go through the formal steps of joining. These include:

Aspirancy / Pre-Candidacy (more to come on each of these)

Postulancy / Candidacy

Novitiate

First Vows

Final Vows


Source:
http://anunslife.org/how-to-become-a-catholic-nun/

Why become a NUN?

What motivates a person to become a nun??

by Sister Julie on December 14, 2006

“Lilpeep” left a comment for me a little while back. Seeing as how I was delinquent in responding, I thought I’d make up for it by devoting a whole post to Lilpeep’s questions.
Hey Julie, I was wondering, what motivation did you have to become a nun? Why did you choose that type of career/life??

You asked what my motivation was for becoming a nun. Well, I didn’t really plan on becoming a nun. My motivation was to live my life the best way I could as a young, single, Catholic woman. I knew my options were single life, married life, and religious life. I figured that I was destined for married life. I always wanted to be married and to be a mom. But, I decided I’d check out the religious thing just to say “been there, done that” … so I wouldn’t have any doubts about that NOT being my call. Well, that didn’t happen. It turns out it was my call. I think deep down, I recognized that I was most fully myself when I was in tune with God. It just so happened that for me, that meant living the lifestyle of a religious. For others, it may mean living a married life, being a parent, becoming ordained or choosing single life. Whatever lifestyle God calls us to is IT, the best one for us. I realized that to be true to myself meant that I had to let go of something and let God do the driving. I still am quite a back seat driver, but more and more I am able to say “not my will, Lord, but yours be done”.

Being a nun is more of a way of life than it is a career. I think of a career as something that at the end of the day or week, I can come home and do my ordinary stuff. I’m “off duty” so to speak. Just like being married is not a career, being a nun is not really a career because being a nun is part of who I am. It’s like I’ve got this IHM dna now that is as much a part of me as my family is. As with married life, our vows are for life — in good times and in bad.

In a way, I wasn’t the one who first chose this life of being a nun. It’s like it chose me. I know that sounds kinda weird, but it’s true. It’s not something I ever would have thought would “fit” me. Yet, by golly, it does. Once I realized that this is what God was calling me to, I had to take the time and space to choose it for myself, to make God’s call my own, to embrace it freely. After some major resisting, running, and denial, I was able to freely choose this life, knowing that it is the best way I can be me and serve God and the world.

SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "what motivates a person to become a nun??", url: "http://anunslife.org/2006/12/14/what-motivates-a-person-to-become-a-nun/" });

Source:
http://anunslife.org/2006/12/14/what-motivates-a-person-to-become-a-nun/

How do Nuns Pray?

Thoughts on Prayer
by Sister Julie on February 16, 2007

[In responding to Jenn's query about prayer, I thought I'd just turn it into a post.]

Prayer is such a wonderfully dynamic thing. There are so many ways to have a conversation with God, to be still in his presence. One of the central ways that we Catholics pray together is through the celebration of the Eucharist. This celebration itself holds within it a great variety of ways to pray which involve spirit, mind, and body. It is at the center of our lives as Catholics.
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours is also something I love because I am in communion not only with God but with my sisters and with all who pray that way. There is a universal, deeply Catholic aspect to it that I love.

I also pray in other ways like the Examen of Consciousness. There are times when I am drawn to contemplative prayer, to being with God without words or images mediating. Those times are pure gift because they are not something I can conjure up. I can dispose myself to them through a regular habit of prayer and opening myself up to God. I also pray through nature. I have always loved the outdoors, animals, the sky, the land — all of it. I find it speaks constantly of the glory of God and the goodness of all of creation. When I’m in wilderness (even the bits of wilderness in a big city), I’m at home with my God and myself.

I pray through the day as well. I’ve got my formal times of prayer, but that doesn’t preclude praying through the day. Praying doesn’t always mean I’m addressing God about something particular, sometimes it’s like just being together as you would with a good friend. You just enjoy each other’s company. By cultivating a general openness to God, one finds that one slips in and out of prayer throughout the day. This reminds me of Saint Paul who wrote “pray without ceasing”.

Source:
http://anunslife.org/2007/02/16/thoughts-on-prayer/

Can Nuns spend time with Family?

by Sister Julie on November 13, 2007
People often wonder whether or not nuns are allowed to see or spend time with their families. Here are a couple questions I received recently on my AskSister page.

Hi Sister Julie,
I love your website. I was wondering, do you ever get to see or spend time with your family (parents, siblings)? I think this would be the hardest part about becoming a sister/nun. Do different groups have different rules about when/if you are allowed to see your family?

Thank you,Melissa

I do get to spend time with my family (parents, two siblings+families). We don’t live in the same area so we are mostly in touch by email or phone or letters (my Mom is awesome at sending little notes of cheer, article clippings, and other cool stuff). Because of the distance I don’t get to see my family too often — like other people, nuns have only a certain amount of vacation time from our employers and we have to budget like everyone else to fly or drive home. My religious community does not impose any rules about seeing one’s family. But sometimes it is a bit of a juggling act because I am committed to my ministry, my “religious” family, and my natural family. Each commitment is something to which I give my time, love, and energy. I think it is true for all people that whatever we give our life to means that we sacrifice time and energy elsewhere, even if it is with those we love.

Yes, different religious communities do have different rules about seeing one’s family. I don’t know of any community that forbids seeing one’s family. Sometimes it’s just logistical — we don’t have the money for flights every holiday, family is too far away, we have community responsibilities or ministry responsibiliities. For some communities whose sisters live a more cloistered life there may be more of a desire to see visitors less frequently because of their particular calling.

In my religious community, I experience my IHM sisters as family. Just like my sister has her family and my brother has his. My IHMs are my family. I chose this lifestyle and this particular community because with them I am my best self and I love them dearly. I am able to grow in my relationship with God and be a person of mission and service. As a person grows into her or his vocation, I believe they are given the grace to be, well, graceful in their relationships and negotiating the struggles of various commitments to family, community, ministry, etc. Doesn’t mean it is easy, but it is with love and with purpose.

Source: A Nun's Life
http://anunslife.org/2007/11/13/can-nuns-spend-time-with-family/

A Day in the Life of A Nun

A Day in the Life of Sister Julie

by Sister Julie on February 12, 2007

Yesterday Elizabeth asked the following in her comment on my About Me page:

I was wondering if you would be interested in describing what your day is like. If you consider this an intrusion, please feel free to ignore it.

It’s no intrusion at all, Elizabeth. I’m pleased to respond. I must first preface my response by saying that not all my days are like this nor do all sisters/nuns’ lives necessarily follow this particular pattern.

Most days like today, I wake up to the quiet hum of my clock radio at 5:00 a.m. I head directly to the coffee machine. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Straight to the coffee machine. Once the coffee is ready I visit with the convent cat whose name is Chloe. Chloe is an 8.5 year old girl. She is very sweet and contemplative. I think of her as a live stuffed animal because when I was a kid (okay a few years ago) I always hoped and prayed that my stuffed animals would come alive. Now I have Chloe!

Then I pray Morning Prayer according to the Liturgy of the Hours. This is one of my most favorite prayers. This prayer also unites me with my sisters because though we do not live under the same roof, it’s like we can come together in prayer wherever we are. I pray for all of my IHM sisters, the other 2 communities of IHMs, and the Oblate Sisters of Providence (all of whom were part of our early days as a congregation). I pray for my family especially my parents and siblings and their families. I pray for all those people who have asked me to keep them in my prayers. I conclude by praying for all those who do not have someone to pray for them.
After prayer I head to the computer with my trusty mug of coffee. I check my email, write on my blog, and do other computer tasks. Then I rev up for the day ahead of me. I pack a lunch, get my work bag and clothes together, and leave the house as soon as I can so that I can make it to the gym for a swim before work.

Then it’s off to Loyola Press. I must say that I truly love going to work. I have fabulous colleagues, a great work environment, and a job that is truly prayer and ministry. I work in the catechetical department of Loyola Press. Among other things, we are responsible for the theological content of our religious education program and materials and for ensuring good catechesis. We work closely with editors, designers, production, customer service, marketing, etc. When I first came to the Press, we were working on Finding God — a new religious education program based on Ignatian Spirituality and written by the folks at Loyola Press. It is a beautiful series that begins with prayer and the understanding that children are already in relationship with God. Not only is the writing and artwork stunning, but catechists keep telling us how much it helps them help the children experience God and learn our Catholic faith. I’m proud to be part of this good work.

Here are some of my colleagues: Joe, Tom, and Jean (a nun!). At the beginning of the year Joe started his own blog about being a catechist. It’s very cool. Check it out at Catechist’s Journey and learn not only about catechesis but also about Joe’s favorite sports teams!

After work I head for home. Unpack, get my mail, visit with Chloe, check in on my IHMs, and do ordinary domestic things. In the evening I read — theological texts, spirituality books, novels, whatever peaks my interest at the moment. I occasionally turn on the TV (as I will this evening to watch “Heroes”, one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time) or listen to National Public Radio (NPR). I conclude my day with the Examen. Click here for more info on the Examen. I learned it from my Jesuit friends when I studied in Toronto. It is a prayerful way to review your day and get a sense of God’s presence in your life. I will occasionally pray Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. Then it’s off to bed!

I have learned from my sisters what it really means to “pray without ceasing” as Saint Paul calls all of us to do in his first letter to the Thessalonians 5:17. We are to make the whole day a prayer — coffee rituals, caring for God’s creatures, working out at the gym, doing our job and chores around the house, sitting around daydreaming — all of these things can be opportunities to open ourselves to God, to experience his love and to radiate this love to others. This is what I strive to do every day of my life.

(PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SEE THE INTERESTING COMMENTS SENT BY READERS!)

Source: A NUN'S LIFE (Catholic Sisters and Nuns in Today’s World)
http://anunslife.org/2007/02/12/a-day-in-the-life-of-sister-julie/

SINGAPORE Canossians walk with the times, respond to needs of people

February 2, 2009

SINGAPORE (UCAN) --
A Canossian sister ministering to the elderly finds joy in little things, such as residents' eyes growing brighter and their confidence to do things again returning.

Singaporean Sister Mary Tan, 73, celebrates her 50th anniversary as a Canossian this year.
As Sister Mary Tan makes her daily rounds at Villa Francis Home for the Aged, the residents greet her with wide smiles. "We do little things for them to make their lives more comfortable," she explained. Coming to a man with a toothy smile, she caressed his hair and said, "We cut his hair short, as he said he felt very hot."
She summarizes her pastoral care apostolate to the elderly in a simple phrase -- "to give them a quality life."
"I see improvement in the people. Some, when they first came, their eyes were closed, but now their eyes are [opened] bigger, and the wheelchair-bound [stroke victims] slowly regain their confidence in physiotherapy and learn to walk again," she said.

Sister Tan is one of three local Canossians celebrating 50 years as nuns this year. Their congregation has been running Villa Francis Home for the Aged since 2006. The home was started in 1978 by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, who withdrew from running the home in 2001, after which it was run by a lay administrator until the Canossians were asked to take over.

The Canossians' ministry to the sick and elderly goes back to 1968, however, when Catholic Welfare Services asked them to run a mobile clinic. Sister Tan and a volunteer doctor began that service.
"We wanted to serve all races, but there was a difficulty entering Jalan Eunos, where the Malays lived," she recalled, because they feared the nuns would try to convert them." Malays account for the majority of Muslims in Singapore, a member of the Federation of Malaysia until it became independent in 1965.
Rather than force the issue, Sister Tan suggested that the mobile clinic visit Changi Village, on the east end of the island-state, as she was familiar with the Malay community there.

"Fifty of them came on the first day, because the government clinics then gave very diluted cough syrup, about half of which was water, whereas our medicine came from America and was more concentrated and effective," she narrated.

The mobile clinic eventually served three communities in three locations: the ethnic Chinese population in Tuas, the ethnic Indian population in Jalan Kayu, and the Malays in Changi.
In 1978, Sister Tan took helped start St. Joseph's Home, which Catholic Welfare Services set up that year "to provide shelter, care and love for the aged and destitute, regardless of race or religion," according to the home's website.

Less than 10 years later, in 1985, the Canossian Sisters started Singapore's first facility for the terminally ill, a ward inside St. Joseph's Home. "We couldn't call it a hospice, because the government did not allow it. They feared a repeat of the Sago Lane 'death houses,'" Sister Tan explained.

Sago Lane is a street in the Chinatown section where terminally ill people without relatives were left to die in so-called "death houses," usually without proper food or medicine. The government banned these in 1961.
The Canossians' work for the terminally ill paved the way for the training of volunteers and nurses in hospice care, and the establishment of proper hospices. Today, eight hospice care providers operate in Singapore.
Despite being the largest religious order in Singapore, the 54 Canossian sisters here, 48 of whom are native Singaporeans, are becoming "an endangered species," says Sister Marilyn Lim, who became head of their province in December 2008.

Sister Jessica Teo, the province's vocation animator, explained that the last sister to profess perpetual vows did so in 2006, and they had no postulants from then until one joined the community this year.

The sisters used to work mostly in Canossian schools, "but at one point, they realized that their role had become so administrative that they were losing that personal touch with students," Sister Lim pointed out.
In order to be faithful to the spirit of Saint Magdalene of Canossa, their foundress, the Canossians opted for early retirement to create a strong chaplaincy team in the schools, the provincial superior continued. They converted their apostolate to one that focused more on pastoral care, she said, following their foundress's advice to "walk with the times."

END

Source:
http://www.ucanews.com/2009/02/02/canossians-walk-with-the-times-respond-to-needs-of-people/