Between 1912 and 1939, 27 women living in Malta obtained passports with the intention of joining the community of the Sisters of Mercy in Kingston, Jamaica.
The origins of these women intending to join the Sisters of Mercy in Jamaica has been traced back to Mother Mary Magdalen Degenhardt, who was Superior of the Sisters of Mercy in Kingston by 1912. She had written to a childhood friend in England who, by this time, was a sister of the Sacred Heart.
This childhood friend is believed to have been Mother Dorothy Kerr, RSCJ, who had been sent to Malta from England in 1904 as Mistress General of the new boarding school at Villa Portelli, Sliema. This school had just opened in October the year before.
Front façade of the Convent of the Sacred Heart 1907. (looking northeast). Photo: Distefano Studios
The convent viewed from the east side. Photo: Richard Ellis. Courtesy of Society of The Sacred Heart Malta, Archives
Villa Portelli, Sliema, today.
Mother M. Magdalen had written to Mother Dorothy and told her of the difficulties that had befallen the inhabitants of Jamaica as a result of the disastrous earthquake of January 14, 1907. Kingston was the hardest hit area on the island and further destruction came about from fires.
Mother Dorothy was also in charge of La Congregation des Enfants de Marie (Congregation of the Children of Mary). This is believed to be the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary to which Sr M. Gabriel, RSM, (formerly Evelina Grech) had referred years later. This sodality met once a month.
At one of these meetings in 1912, Mother Dorothy shared the contents of Mother Magdalen’s letter. She then asked the young women present: “Would you like to do something for the poor suffering people of Jamaica? Perhaps you do not have much that you could give in a material way, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if you would give yourselves?”
While all were saddened by the contents of the letter asking for assistance, Evelina Grech and Adelina Galea took the words of the Sacred Heart sister to heart and decided to serve the Lord in Jamaica. They lost no time in writing to Mother Magdalen “who responded positively and encouragingly”.
It was on August 17, 1912, that Evelina and Adelina, aged 29 and 21 respectively, boarded the Sicilia for London on the first leg of their journey to Jamaica.
The story is told of how Evelina’s knowledge of English was limited at the time and she was not familiar with idiomatic expressions. When Mother Magdalen had written that if Evelina and Adelina came to Jamaica, they would be welcomed to “work in the vineyard of the Lord”, Evelina took this literally and believed she was going to Jamaica “to till the soil and work in the fields so she left all her books at home”. Before then, “all she had ever seen of Jamaica was the depiction of a strong black man on a bottle of rum!”
When Mother Magdalen had written that if Evelina and Adelina came to Jamaica, they would be welcomed to “work in the vineyard of the Lord”, Evelina took this literally
Evelina Grech, as Sr M. Gabriel, RSM, in Jamaica, was fluent in Maltese, English, Italian, Spanish and French, and was an excellent Latin teacher. She taught music and the classics, and was a lover of the fine arts.
As for Sr M. Gertrude, RSM, the former Adelina Galea, she became a Spanish teacher in several of the schools run by the Sisters of Mercy there.
Georgina Borg, Maria Assunta Cauchi and Mary Sargent left Malta for London, on the first leg of their journey to Jamaica in 1913. Georgina became Sr M. Agnes, RSM, and was only 35 when she died on July 29, 1929. Her remains were interred in Calvary Cemetery in Kingston.
Giorgina Borg, who became Sr M. Agnes, RSM. Courtesy of Society of The Sacred Heart Malta, Archives
Sr M. Agnes, RSM, in 1920. She was only 35 when she died on July 29, 1929. Courtesy of Society of The Sacred Heart Malta, Archives
As Sr M. Mechtilde, RSM, Maria Assunta was one of two members of the community who travelled to Malta on a home visit prior to the outbreak of World War II. In her case, she was compelled to remain on the island until the conclusion of the war before returning to Jamaica.
Sr M. Dolores, RSM, the former Mary Sargent, was to spend most of her ministry on the Alpha compound on Laws Street in Kingston where she worked “among the ‘little people’ at the Infant School and at the Alpha Kinder-Preparatory where she was headmistress as well as teacher”.
Giuseppa Pepe and Emelia Gauci left Malta on September 17, 1913. Once arriving in Jamaica, Giuseppa had second thoughts about becoming a Sister of Mercy and left the island on October 23. Emelia, however, stayed and became Sr M. Angela, RSM. It was she who accompanied Sr. M. Mechtilde to Malta prior to World War II.
Giuseppina Meli, 24, of Sliema and Edith Beatrice Scott, 16, of Paola, left the Grand Harbour on November 11, 1914. A third woman, also intending to “take the veil”, was Caterina Vickers, but, like Beatrice Bonici Mompalao the year before, she appears to have had second thoughts and did not board the Moldavia for London with Giuseppina and Edith. While Giuseppina did board the vessel, nothing further is presently known of her.
As for Edith, a native of Cardiff, Wales, she was the only non-Maltese woman from Malta to join the Sisters of Mercy in Kingston. There, she entered the Covent of Mercy, Alpha, on December 18, 1914, and became Sr M. Scholastica.
Carmela Miruzzi, 27, of Valletta, joined the Sisters of Mercy in Kingston in August 1916 and became Sr M. Ignatius. She later left the community.
Mary Josephine Grech and Maria Cuschieri applied to travel to Jamaica in March 1920. There is no evidence that the former actually went to Jamaica.
Maria, on the other hand, entered the convent on June 29, 1920, and took the name Sr M. Elizabeth.
Nine women from Malta apparently entered the convent on January 13, 1930. These were Mary Bajada, Adelina Borg, Paola Borg, Polly Ann Borg, Stella Doris Cachia, Iris Maria Camilleri, Jessie Ellul, Mary Catherine Lautier and Mary A. Sciortino.
Of these nine, Paola Borg, Polly Ann Borg, Jessie Ellul and Stella Doris Cachia did not stay. Stella Doris was dispensed from the community on July 5, 1930. Homesickness may have played a major role in these women’s decision to return to Malta.
Beginning in 1942, Sr Noelle Marie, aka Sr Raphael, the former Mary Bajada, worked with other sisters at the Gibraltar Camp for refugees in Jamaica.
Adelina Borg was one of the women who had attended the Rosary School in St Julian’s, run by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. In October 1929, she went to The Model Studio in Sliema to have photos taken. One was affixed to her passport application, dated October 8. Another she gave to one of the sisters at the Sacred Heart Convent. Written in pencil on the back are the words “Went with Mother Magdalen to Jamaica, October 1929”.
The unanswered question is whether “Mother Magdalen” was Mother Madeleine Boncompagni, RSCJ, who was in charge of the Congregation of the Children of Mary for the public during 1923-1924 and again during 1925-1927, or Mother Mary Magdalen Degenhardt herself, Superior of the Sisters of Mercy in Kingston, Jamaica.
In any case, Adelina Borg received the religious name of Sr M. Madeline Sophie, on October 3, 1930.
Adelina Borg in 1929, who became Sr Madeline Sophie, RSM, on October 3, 1930. Courtesy of Society of The Sacred Heart Malta, Archives
Sr Madeline Sophie, RSM, in 1949. Courtesy of Society of The Sacred Heart Malta Archives
Iris Maria Camilleri became known as Sr M. Theresa Francis. Sr M. Thecia, RSM, the former Mary Catherine Lautier, spent most of her years in elementary education and childcare in Gordon, Alpha, Boys Home at Hatfield.
Mary Sciortino became Sr M. Concepta and was only 37 years old when she died on January 27, 1938. Like Sr M. Agnes (Georgina Borg), she too was buried in Calvary Cemetery.
Mary Cini and her younger sister, Yvonne, received their passports on July 30, 1938, to travel to Jamaica. While there is no indication that Mary entered the convent in Kingston or even travelled to Jamaica with her sister, Yvonne Cini entered the Convent of Mercy, Alpha, on August 27, 1938, and soon after was given the name Sr Theresa Rose, RSM. It was apparently after Vatican II that she reverted to her baptismal name and became Sr M. Yvonne.
Carmela Teresa Gatt, 18, and Marianna Refalo, 15, received their passports for Jamaica on August 14, 1939. Marianna was the only one of the women who applied to go to Jamaica between 1912 and 1939, who was born in Gozo. With the exception of Edith Scott, all the others were from the island of Malta. There is no record, however, of either Gatt or Refalo joining the Sisters of Mercy or even arriving in Jamaica.
In summary, we have the record of 27 women living in Malta from 1912 through to 1939 who indicated on their passport applications that they intended to go to Jamaica and presumably serve in some capacity at the Convent of Mercy, Alpha, Kingston. At least 15 of them became members of the Sisters of Mercy there.
These women represented the strongest Maltese presence in Jamaica.
These women represented the strongest Maltese presence in Jamaica
It is worth noting that, at a time when there was a high degree of illiteracy in Malta and many of the immigrants from the Maltese islands to North America could not even sign their name, virtually all these women were literate and some very highly educated.