In October 2024, the American Province launched Graced Moments, where every month, a Holy Child Sister shares a “grace-filled” experience that has influenced her life. The project flows from the Society’s mission “to help others to believe that God lives and acts in them and in our world.”
We thank Michele Puma, a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus for 66 years, for offering her “graced moment.”
Feel free to leave a comment for Sister Michele at the bottom of this page. Thank you.
Click the audio player to listen to Sister Michele read her
reflection or see the text below. Enjoy!
I learned to be obedient in the Society, and even in life, with kindness. I learned this when I questioned authority or decisions of my superiors. How my superiors responded made a lasting impression on me.
When I was a novice, the provincial, Reverend Mother Mary Pauline, met with me to give me my first missioning assignment – it was to Waukegan, Ill.
I’m from New York City. I knew very little about that small community.
After the meeting with Reverend Mother Mary Pauline, Mother Columba, the novice mistress at that time, sensed my distress. She told me to go to the chapel for a while. I was in the chapel, and the door opened, and in walked Mary Alice Minogue and Peg Scholle – two of my set! Mother Columba had sent them to the chapel to see me. Mary Alice and Peg, who were Midwesterners, said, “Let’s go for a walk down the back road, and we’ll tell you about the Midwest, our part of the country.” Mother Columba did that for me and obedience came easier.
I learned early in the Society that having an open relationship and dialogue with our superiors makes obedience easier. I think this comes from Cornelia being a mother and her belief to treat children (or Sisters, people, etc.) as if they are your own.
“It is not presumption to have hope and joy
and confidence in God’s grace.”
-Venerable Cornelia Connelly
What in Sister Michele’s graced moment resonated with you? Please share below.
I resonate with being sent on mission without dialogue. I also had one on one conversations with my novice mistress. They were helpful. This ‘graced moment’ has come when I just heard the news of her passing. May Sr. Philly Power rest in peace.
Michele, thank you for reminding me, us, that conversation is so important in living obedience.
I loved your story! So real. Thanks for sharing your insight (Graced Moment).
Michelle, thank you for your graced moment. The importance of dialogue,
understanding and sharing with others gives us the grace to accept what we are experiencing in our lives.
Thank you Sr. Michele for sharing your graced moment. I was blessed to have you as my Secondary School principal in Ogoja, Nigeria. Many of us struggle with practicing the virtue of obedience, so learning from your experience “that having an open relationship and dialogue with our superiors makes obedience easier” is very helpful.
I was amazed to see a young postulant in 2025! The way of obedience can seem to be the way of the cross and so it often is! But it can bring moments of joy and contentment! THank you for sharing! How did life go in Waukegan? Did you stay there long?
!
Thank you Sr Michele Puma for being part of our upbringing and shaping us during your missionary work at Holy Child Secondary School, Mt Carmel, Ogoja in Cross River State, Nigeria. Yes you instilled in us most of the virtues we carry today in our lives. You were not only a Consecrated Sr. but a mother to us. We love and cherish you and May God Almighty continue to bless you exceedingly in his vinyard. What Eugenia Ukpo said about you i totally agree with her. Stay strong our admirable and beloved sychedelic mother. 💖💖💖🙏🏼🙏🏼💅