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March 9, 2023Catholic Sisters Week is March 8-14, and, according to their website, the week aims to “shine a light on the spirituality, mission, and community building of women religious.” Sisters play a pivotal role in the life of the Church, providing crucial support and embodying Gospel values.
Sisters serve in various roles throughout society. Some work on the fringes of society, with the poor and vulnerable, others might work in private schools or hospitals. Some wear habits and some do not. Sisters are set apart by their radical witness to the Gospel by vowing to give their lives in service to Christ and his Church.
Sister Mari Maide, O.P., is a member of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of Go Vap. Growing up in a small, rural town in south Vietnam, her father always wanted her to be a sister. One of six siblings, her oldest sister also joined a convent. When she turned 18 years old, she joined the Dominicans; resonating with their values of freedom from money, authority, power and all things that keep people from God.
“Every day is a new day for me to follow Jesus,” Sister Mari said.
In 2009, she moved to Oklahoma and is a member of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac Catholic Church in Oklahoma City – serving the city’s Vietnamese community and working as the parish’s catechetical leader. For the first Sunday of Lent, she took the parish catechumens to the Rite of Election at the new Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. Come Easter, the Church will have 10 new members from Saint Andrew Dung-Lac.
Sister Mari lives with four other sisters – two sisters are employed, and two are retired but help with household responsibilities. During the day, Sister Mari works as a preschool teacher. Before that, she worked with toddlers and infants, which was not an ideal fit for her.
“They’re too little for me,” she joked. Her previous coworkers assumed she had kids and knew how to change a diaper. Recently, she moved from a private school to a public school, which gives her a deeper understanding of how many Americans live.
Last year, she earned a graduate degree in family and child education at the University of Central Oklahoma. Before that, she earned her undergraduate degree in sociology at UCO.
Having overcome many hardships and challenges, she often reflects on three words from the Gospel of John: “Come and see.”
“These three words still resonate with me whenever I encounter difficulties," Sister Mari said.
Learn more about Catholic Sisters Week at catholicsistersweek.org.
Olivia Dailey is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
