Early Sunday morning, November 20, 2011, after a prolonged illness, God called Sr. Cecile Marie Duarte to His eternal home. She had just celebrated her 84th birthday a week earlier.
Sr. Cecile Marie (Genevieve Duarte) was born and raised in Honolulu, the third of six children of Manuel and Carrie Duarte. She attended St. Anthony Elementary School and Sacred Hearts Academy High School. On January 3, 1948, she entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts and continued her studies at Chaminade University (B.A.), University of Hawaii (M.A. in Education Administration) and St. Charles Seminary, PA (M.A. in Religious Studies). In 2010, she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee of Religious Profession.
Sister enjoyed teaching. Her teaching ministry ranged from the elementary level through college. At Immaculate Conception School, Lihue, Kauai, she taught in all the elementary grades except for Grade One. She also served as acting Principal for a year. She taught Social Studies and Religion at Sacred Hearts Academy, Fairhaven, MA and Sacred Hearts Academy, Honolulu, HI. She also taught at St. Joseph Elementary School, Fairhaven, and St. John Baptist School, Kalihi, served in each school as principal for a year. On the University level, Sister was instructor of Theology at Chaminade University and worked in campus ministry at the University of Hawaii Newman Center. A talented musician, Sister Cecile Marie gave instructions in elementary music at St. Patrick School and in piano and elementary band at Immaculate Conception School, Lihue. She also served as organist at St. Augustine Church for many years. In1990, she was missioned to Japan where she worked in pastoral ministry and applied herself assiduously to studying the Japanese language, history and culture. Upon her return to Hawaii, Sister became a qualified Kumon instructor.
During her leisure time, Sister Cecile Marie could be found working in the garden, caring for her birds, feeding fish and fowl. In 2010, she completed a children’s book entitled Turtles and More Turtles, Endangered Species and was awarded a Diploma from the Institute of Children’s Literature. Before she died, she was writing a children’s book on Saint Damien of Moloka‘i.
We request your kind prayers for the repose of the soul of our Sister Cecile Marie Duarte. May she rest in peace.
United in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Regina Mary Jenkins, SS.CC.
Provincial, Pacific-USA
11/20/2011