Tongan commits to Carmelite religious order [1]
Monday, September 20, 2021 - 17:15
Sisi’uhila Kiu, from Lapaha, Tonga, made a final commitment as Carmelite Sister Anne Mary of the Assumption in a ceremony held at the Carmelite Monastery in Christchurch, New Zealand, on August 15.
Hundreds of supporters and well-wishers, including Sr Anne Mary’s New Zealand based family members packed the venue, while her family and friends in Tonga, along with Carmelite nuns around the region, watched the mass and ceremony via livestream.
According to the NZ Catholic Church, a Tongan choir sang and Tongan youth were involved.
Sr Anne Mary made her Solemn Profession, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady during the ceremony.
Young nun
Sisi’uhila grew up in Tonga in a Catholic family, and there was daily Mass and rosary. Her mother died when she was one-year-old.
Sisi’uhila decided to become a nun when she was 15-years-old, after she overheard children arguing who the youngest nun was to become a saint.
She had never heard of St Therese but felt she wanted to compete with the saint in this regard.
“I didn’t even know she was a Carmelite. But when I entered Carmel and understood how holy she was, I no longer wanted to compete with her!”
“God has also blessed me with a cheerful nature and a very strong will, and that has helped me to continue on through many difficulties, including leaving my family and my country”.
Carmelites
A turning point in her life came when considering which religious order to join. When praying one day, a light breeze flipped the pages of a calendar in her room. She saw a picture of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, and she interpreted this as God pointing the way for her.
“After that, I had peace and calm and contacted the Carmelites.”
She experienced tough moments in the ten years of formation, but her profession day was “the best day of my life. I never felt so free and so happy in my life as on my profession day”.
Sr Anne Mary loves the silence at Carmel, “even though it’s against my nature”.
“In fact, it’s something of a miracle that I can stop talking some of the time! I love community life among the sisters. In Carmel, I’ve learned to love having a prayer life. I’m not so good about sharing about God, but I love pondering about him.”