The first concern of the Mercedarian Sisters in the early post-war days was to get news to Berriz. However, in the days following the war, communication any- where was difficult. Finally, with the help of the military’s access to the telegraph, they were able to get through to Spain. The message was brief: “ Garate dead. Others saved.” Seven months later, they received a response and knew that the Sisters had received their earlier message. At that time, all messages had to be sent through the U.S. Department in Washington and the process took forever.
From the letters of Sr. Mercedes Gonzalez, the Superior, we have an idea of what the sisters suffered health-wise after four months of “relocations” and life in the mountains. Sr. Aurora, 64 years old at the time, was very ill – she had had to live the life of a soldier and was exhausted from the forced walks. Sr. Maria Pia needed surgery for liver problems, Maria Teresa was unable to eat solid food – Angelica and Mercedes seemed to be the two strongest among the group. It would take time and care before they would feel well again.
In the days right after the war, the sisters had all they needed in terms of material resources. The American soldiers provided them with housing, food, medicines, doctors and other helps. They had lost everything during the war. They were able only to save a copy of the Constitutions of the Mercedarian Missionaries, their passports and the habits they were wearing – which by that time were pretty well destroyed. They were literally out in the “street”. So, the help they received from the Catholic Chaplains, the soldiers, the Maryknoll Sisters of Hawaii and the local people was very appreciated and the sisters were extremely grateful for their generosity. In February of 1946, the U.S. soldiers paid for and donated a house in Chalan Kanoa to the sisters. It was a wonderful gift – two stories high, with a garden and a cool chapel. They would remain there for many years.
For their apostolate, the sisters began the school again, but it was short-lived due to the poor health of the sisters. For a time, they were able to teach catechism in the public school as aides to the Chamorro teachers and it was a joy for them to be with the children again. Very soon however, the sisters began to encounter problems with nationality and language. The Church leaders asked for more nuns, but they wanted Americans. It was in response to this need that the idea of establishing a house in the United States surfaced.
Really, how well God provides for all our needs! This new need of a foundation in the U.S.A. would become a reality through the help of Fr. Arthur Tighe, then Captain Tighe, a US military chaplain stationed in Saipan. He found the Mercedarian sisters during the war – and he found them undernourished, sick, homeless and without resources. He promised to help them establish a house in the U.S.A. since he believed such a house was necessary to sustain and support the MMB’s in the Mariana and Caroline Islands. With his great devotion to the Sacred Heart, Fr. Tighe wrote his promise on a blank page of an English dictionary and it read: “ When the crews of Captain Criss and Lieutenant McDonald (two pilots) are rotated home, it is agreed that Fr. Tighe will be sent home to establish a motherhouse for the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz. Resolved on this eighth day of June, the Feast of the Sacred Heart, in the year of our Lord, 1945.” This short promise would be the key to the founding of our first home in the United States, whose specific purpose was to help the mission in Micronesia. Very soon the sisters were knocking on Fr. Tighe’s door in Kansas City, Missouri!
In addition to school work, the sisters organized Sunday classes in catechism. The environment in Saipan was changing very much given the influx of new influences. There had been little religious formation for the youth
since the war made it impossible. So, the catechetical apostolate took on greater meaning and importance. Sr. Angelica put together a catechism and expanded their program. In the school year of 1947-48 over 1,000 children began classes twice a week. There were 46 catechists, who took turns teaching. Classes were also given to the Japanese who were married to Chamorros and to the children of the military on Saipan. In addition, the sisters prepared choirs – teaching the people to sing the Mass in polyphony. It was during this time that the former Vicariate was divided and Saipan became part of the Diocese of Guam.
In spite of all the suffering of war or perhaps because of it, vocations to a life of prayer and service began to flourish in both the Marianas and Caroline Islands. The sisters opened their Aspirancy and Novitiate in Ponape since many young women were beginning to ask to enter the Community. The first young women formed a truly international group – Juliana Cruz, Remedios Castro, Antonia Lizama from Saipan, Elena Ebud and Johanna Tellei from Palau, Perpetua Hallers and Magdalena Nar- ruhn from Truk and Rita Amor from Ponape. At their religious profession, the missionaries rejoiced and gave thanks, to God and the Institute for these new sisters, who are: “Our pride and hope … their joy is great, but ours is also, seeing the “Dream” of Mother Margarita realized. She dreamed of this and how she would rejoice thinking of these islands and seeing these young women consecrated to God…” These local women would be the pioneers in giving “roots and wings” to the Mercedarian Redemp- tive Charism in Micronesia.
In June of 1947, Mother Cecilia Gallarzagoitia, the Superior General of the Mercedarian Missionaries, arrived in Saipan with Felicia Plaza, a sister famous for her lively and joyful ways. For the sisters, who had endured so much during the war, this visit was a special grace – it was to touch Berriz once again and to be nourished by the spirit of the Dream. In their own words: “Only four days of visit, but these days were heavenly and were days in which we solved many difficulties and were filled with the strength to continue working, with great determination, here in the Lord’s vineyard.” And the Dream continued…..
To be continued…
