May Then and Now

Lessons of May

Among Ancient and Colorful Ways of Life

The United States is a land of great diversity in every way, but the most significant variety of our land is in its people.
The month of May is set aside to honor Asian and Pacific Islander heritages.

The Sisters of the Holy Family first went to the magnificent Hawaiian Islands in 1947. They ministered in the
parishes and missions on Hawaii, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai, teaching catechism to those who were
Catholic, home visiting everybody in an area, participating in all kinds of events and becoming a
part of the colorful array in the Islands. In 2021 the last sister came back to the Mainland,
ending a 79 year history of ministry in Hawaii.

In many places the Sisters have worked among Hawaiian, Tongan, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong,
Kmhmu’ and other Island or Asian communities, learning the many ways in which God is
glorified through the beauty of faith and the vibrancy of their cultures.