Leela Ramdeen

Many “hands” have helped to build T&T. On Thursday, December 13, I joined others at my Alma Mater, Holy Faith Convent (HFC), Couva, to mark the 60th Anniversary of the arrival of the Holy Faith Sisters in T&T. These dedicated women have a noble sense of purpose and continue to minister to us in many ways.

We owe them a debt of gratitude for their unstinting service to our people since 1947. Margaret Aylward founded the Sisters of the Holy Faith in 1857 in Ireland.

Her mission underpins the work of the Sisters today: "To proclaim the love and the truth of Jesus to and with the people of our day, especially the poor and the oppressed."  Humility, simplicity, faith and charity are the virtues that characterise the Spirit of the Holy Faith Congregation.

When the then Archbishop, Finbar Ryan, invited the Sisters to assist with our education work in the archdiocese, they responded favourably. At the end of 1947 eight Holy Faith Sisters arrived from Ireland and assumed the educational role at St Theresa's, Woodbrook, POS. The Cluny Sisters previously held this role. Holy Faith Convent, Couva was opened in 1951.

The Sisters' ministry spread to Siparia (1954), Sangre Grande (1961), Penal (1966), Matelot (1987) and Valencia (1988).  One of their goals was: "To create school communities enlivened by the gospel spirit of freedom and charity."

The Sisters and my Trini teachers promoted our mental, spiritual, moral, cultural, social and physical development. They taught us to respect life and human dignity; to understand our rights and responsibilities; to promote family life, community and the common good; to stand in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed; to care for God's creation; and to be active participants in our society. I am who I am today mainly because of the positive influence of my parents and teachers - particularly the Holy Faith Sisters.

In August I received a letter from Sr Baptista, a Holy Faith Sister who returned to live in Ireland after working here for over 40 years. She had read a piece I had written in the Catholic News.

The following extract highlights the love that the Sisters have for their students: "I'm so happy to have had a 'tiny' part in your education and formation. May God fill you with wisdom and courage to speak up and to speak out when necessary; to use your gifts of education and natural ability for the betterment of your sisters and brothers.

"If I have helped in any way to educate you and others - to be alert, aware, courageous and vocal when necessary - that's reward enough for me. Sr Magdalena (past principal) would be proud of you also. Don't let beautiful T&T go down the drain. Have courage! God bless you and all my past pupils in this school".

But the Sisters are not only involved in education. They say: "In time we were called to expand our ministry beyond the boundaries of the classroom into parish communities, people's homes, the Seminary, hospital ministry, catechetics, community development, the media, the streets, and the prison system, as we sought to filter the gospel and its values throughout the fabric of our society - with a special preference for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalised."

The Holy Faith emblem The cross of Christ at the centre. The larger circle - infinity, the earth. The smaller circle - the sun or the light of faith. The wavy lines - our international institute or the waters oif life.

Mother Teresa said: "We must convert our love for Christ into deeds. We must express Christian love in concrete, living ways." The Sisters have certainly been doing so over the years. They have gone willingly wherever God has called them to serve.

Today, Sister Janice Tam is head of the Congregation in the Caribbean region and principal of St Bernadette's Private Primary School in St Ann's. Only three of the Holy Faith Sisters in T&T are Irish. The rest are 'homegrown' and the principals of HFC schools include local lay persons.

I have the honour to serve both as a member of the Holy Faith Associates and as a Director of Credo Foundation for Justice (CFJ) - an organisation run by the Sisters to educate on social justice issues and to work towards systemic change. They operate Centres for socially displaced children (street children). Sr Roberta O'Flaherty and Sr Juliet Rajah give yeoman service to our young children at risk.

Since one of our homes, Credo Centre, was destroyed by fire in Nelson Street, POS, in May, efforts continue to find another building that will serve the needs of those who live and work on the streets.

The young men who lived at the Centre are still sleeping on mattresses in the annex at Aylward House, a transitional facility that we run for older boys.

We need more advocates/carers for our children. NGOs, such as CFJ, have a role to play, but so does our Government. Our new Ministers must step up to the plate and provide the support that CFJ need to enable us to assist the nation's children.

Srs Juliet and Marie Young are involved in Catechetics in the North and East and work tirelessly with Sr Columba Byrne, Episcopal Delegate for Catechetics in the Archdiocese.

Sr Denise Thomas teaches at Diego Martin RC Primary School. Srs Emerentia Smith and Pacelli Netto work with persons in need. Sr Mary Anthony is deeply committed to prison ministry and retreat work.

She also teaches Religious Education at HFC, Couva where Sr Theresa Vialva is Vice Principal. Sr Theresa plays a major role in promoting the Faith via the media e.g. as a presenter of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice's Ask Why? TV programme.

Sr Rosario Hackshaw is a retired school principal and director of HOPE (Helping Ourselves Develop Economically) in Valencia.

She has been awarded a Chaconia Medal Gold for her work in Matelot - drawing on economist Muhammad Yunus' (Nobel Prize winner) Grameen Bank initiative. Through this micro-credit system, she has assisted countless poor people, especially women, in obtaining credit so that they can be independent and self-reliant by starting small businesses without collateral.

The Sisters also run Credo Retreat House, Couva. Leonora de Verteuil who is assisted by other Holy Faith Associates directs this facility.

In his recent encyclical, Spe Salvi (On Chrisstian Hope), Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that the Christian message is not only "informative" but also "performative”. That means: the Gospel is not merely a communication of things that can be known - it is one that makes things happen and is life-changing."

May the Holy Spirit continue to work through the Holy Faith Sisters as they live the Gospel and "make things happen" in T&T. These faithful workers in God's vineyard have said: "The impetus behind our growth has always been the ideal of nurturing, protecting and sharing faith as we strive to become part of the Body of the Lord in our land."

Happy Anniversary, Sisters! May God richly bless you and your work!