GOOD SHEPHERD MISSION

By Joey Sim

Sr Eugene

I am 16 years old, a former student of Marymount Convent School. During that time I met a few of the Good Shepherd Sisters, and was a little curious about their lives. So I jumped at the opportunity to interview Sr Eugene, who patiently answered my sometimes totally out of line questions.  I walked away from the interview, a tad more matured, humbled and very impressed by how 70 something Sr Eugene serves out of habit.

Answering the Call of God

Sr Eugene, the second daughter in a large family was a bit of a rebel in her younger days. She chuckled as she recounted how she ran away from home when she was tired of her mother’s nagging and the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings. So, it was no surprise that she also ran away when she heard the voice of God calling her to religious vocation. She volunteered others whom she thought were better and more pious than her.  In those days, on her way to Novena Church she had noticed the convent perched on the elevated part of Thomson Road, and made arrangements with a friend to visit the place. However, on the appointed day, her friend’s father was taken ill, and young Sr Eugene had to make the trip alone. Her life changed when she met Sr Columba that day. She joined the Good Shepherd Sisters when she was 18, and has never looked back.

The Habit

By the time I was in Marymount Convent School there were only a few nuns who wore the traditional habit and veil, so when Sr Eugene gave me the low-down on how she had to take care of the guimpe and bandeau, my jaws dropped. The guimpe, which forms part of the veil, is worn from ear down to the chest and the shoulder while the bandeau is worn around the forehead underneath the veil. What most people do not know is how Sr Eugene often placed her habit underneath her mattress to keep it pressed, saving her some time in the morning. There were prayers and rituals in putting on her veil as well. So it is no wonder that when she was given a choice to dress out of her habit, she was thankful for the change which came about because of Vatican II. But she also shared that wearing the habit had its perks, such as getting free rides from kind people. Sr Eugene emphasized that the habit is not what makes a woman a nun, but rather her actions and her love for others.

Journeying with Women

In the more than 50 years as a religious sister, Sr Eugene has ministered to a large number of women and children, too many for her to recall by name. I was enthralled by her stories; some that made me sad, others that deepened my admiration and respect for Sr Eugene and other nuns.  At her age, when most women are slowing down, Sr Eugene still travels to Holy Family Church for the 7.15 am Sunday Mass where she volunteers as Choir Directress. For more than 30 years she has been quietly journeying with widows and single women. Acutely aware of her lack of formal training in counselling, Sr Eugene just prays and listens to these women with compassion and love which is the charism of the Good Shepherd.

Out of Habit

For the last 18 years, Sr Eugene has been a staff of Marymount Kindergarten, and presently she teaches music and movement there. Out of habit, she is usually found at the piano playing songs for the children while they are waiting for assembly or when they are returning to their classes. Besides hymns, she lovingly runs her fingers over the black and white keys to entertain the children with well-known pieces, such as Fur Elise, Blue Danube, and Greensleeves, just to name a few among her repertoire. Sr Eugene has enthusiastically embraced technology, searching for musical scores online and is adept at using YouTube to enhance her teaching. As we chatted, I was surprised that I did not feel the nearly six decades that separates us.

Inspiring Children to Love Music

Sr Eugene was all smiles when she recalled the following incident. During a music lesson for K2 kids, she introduced some of the world-renowned composers by playing their music and relating the stories of their lives. One boy, who was usually listless and uninterested in things, was impressed by the life of Beethoven. He surprised everyone, not least Sr Eugene, when he composed his own music after learning of the deafness of Beethoven. He reasoned that if the hearing-impaired composer could write such lovely music, he too could do it. He was very encouraged when his composition was played for the other children. His interest in music blossomed and he has been taking his music lessons seriously.

Little did Sr Eugene imagine that what she did out of habit could inspire young children to love music. She stated simply, “Praise and glory be to God”.