I entered the Maryknoll Sisters in 1954, and in 1957, one year after my novitiate was over, I received my first assignment – to Hong Kong! I was happy about this as I had visited Hong Kong in 1953 and liked it very much. At that time, Hong Kong had only three buildings that were higher than ten floors. I loved the ride on the Peak Tram and looking down on the whole city. I was also attracted by the lovely beaches on the south side of the Island. The people were so friendly, even though I didn’t know a word of Chinese.

I was assigned to teach at Maryknoll Sisters School on Caine Rd. and arrived in the middle of September. The new school being built on Blue Pool Road was only half finished. My first day to teach on Caine Road, it was raining and a treacherous typhoon was on its way. By afternoon, all the students were sent home, and I returned to Maryknoll Convent in Kowloon. The typhoon caused the Caine Road School to be soaked and badly damaged. It could not be reopened. Permission was received to move into the school, into the completed section at Blue Pool Road. That consisted of the central section and the four floors above the covered playground. We Sisters moved into the 4thFloor and on October 2nd, we stood on the veranda and watched the truck-loads of furniture being brought from Caine Rd, again being soaked by the rain that was falling. In a few days, things were dried out again and in place. The school re-started!

This was the beginning of my understanding and appreciation of Hong Kong, it’s life in general, and it’s schools and students in particular. I had much to learn. The first school, Maryknoll Convent School, (MCS) had its beginnings in 1925, with a kindergarten for 12 Portuguese children. Classes were held in a garage at their residence on Austin Rd. in Kowloon.

MSS, known then as “Holy Spirit School” had its beginning in 1927, with a kindergarten at 41 Robinson Rd. In 1930 they moved into a three-story building on Caine Rd. In a few years there were twelve nationalities in the Kindergartens. Word had spread about the Kindergartens and many applied for their children to enter. In both places, grade after grade was added on, developing eventually into the schools as we know them today. After World War II “Holy Spirit School” became “Maryknoll School,” and then “Maryknoll Sisters School” or “MSS” and now today “Marymount Secondary School”, still “MSS”. The schools continued to have girls of many nationalities and to accept Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

First, a little bit more History, Ancient History. When the Maryknoll Sisters first came to Hong Kong in 1921, it wasn’t their intention to open schools or a hospital. Hong Kong was to be a support post for the Missions up-country. But the subsequent program of works that developed surely must have had God’s approval, judging by their need and on-going success right up until today!

But the pictures presented during WW II were different from during your student days. Before the bombing of the American Fleet at Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 11th, 1941 , Hong Kong was long endangered by the threat of Japanese invasion, as the territory was considered an English possession. Many people, including Christian Missionaries volunteered to be trained for emergency, care of wounded, emergency housing, healing and feeding the refugees. In the end, the Japanese troops came on August 8, 1941. Hong Kong surrendered on Christmas Day. Many foreigners, according to their country of origin, were eventually held in a section of Stanley Prison. Some, later on, returned to the USA on the Grippsholm in exchange of prisoners. The Japanese occupied both MCS and the building at Caine Rd. By 1943, most of the Sisters were released from Stanley Prison and some of them left on repatriation, but others remained. The Caine Rd. School Building was retaken in August, 1948.

A few months ago, December 2006, I received in the mail a sheet out of the South China Morning Post. It was a whole sheet in color about Marymount. The title was: “VERY HAPPY IN THE VALLEY”, written after the school’s evaluation, itself with government personnel. It read:

“MARYMOUNT SECONDARY is a very good school whose culture is characterized by a strong sense of identity and community……..….the principal provides strong and skillful leadership……teaching and student learning is very good.”

With these words the community at the Happy Valley school – from principal to parents – could cough a sigh of relief. They held in their hands an external school review that they could be proud of, with useful pointers as to how the school could move forward. Not many schools receive such a glowing accolade. We certainly can take pride in the school’s accomplishment, and support her in her great service of education.

I always considered myself “blessed” because I ended up in Hong Kong, and at Blue Pool Road. When I arrived at Caine Road, and just a few days later at Blue Pool Road, I found the girls at MSS pleasant, eager to learn, and to do well in their classes and exams. They looked forward to recess and getting together with their friends to enjoy fun and laughter. For them too, it was a period of “exploration”, curiosity about many things, about the “unknown”. Where did this world come from? ...and where did we come from? What is science all about? Where do the stories and beliefs from the Chinese and other varied backgrounds fit in? And, what about faith and religion? Those beginning days were happy days, innocent days, sometimes carefree days in which you were learning, forming bonds with other students, with your teachers and with your school. Do you know all the answers now? It’s safe to say that none of us know all the answers, but you and I have learned very much.

With good guides and good guidelines, hopefully our parents and teachers came within this category. They should have given us a good start in early life. We also need good friends to strengthen us along the way.

What are some other guideposts along the way? I was looking through a booklet of “Chinese Thoughts”. One of them took my attention, especially.

About 500 years before Christ, Tsu Kung asked, “Is there one word that I can use all my life as a model for my behavior?” The Master answered, “The word ‘RECIPROCITY’ should do, what you do not want or do to yourself, you must not do to others.” “Reciprocity” – Isn’t that very similar to what Jesus taught us 500 years later?

Matthew, Ch. 7 Vs.12: “Do for others what you want them to do for you.”
John, Ch. 34: As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
salm 96v. 25 -27: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
The quotes from the Bible bring in the quality of “Love”.
And then we have your School Motto: “THE LORD IS MY LIGHT “.

All these above sayings call for time and reflection. But we know,from the many graduates who have visited us at Maryknoll, those we have heard about and read about, that MSS and MCS can be very proud of their graduates, and all they are doing to make this a better world for others.

On an airplane trip a few weeks ago, I was reflecting on one of the psalms, the line: “Teach us to number our days, that we may know “Wisdom of Heart”. Here it is 2007, 50 years since I was first assigned to Blue Pool Road. Do a little arithmetic with that. But, keep that “wisdom of heart” in mind. Many of you had been privileged to attend school at a very good one, MCS, MSS or another. Be grateful and give thanks for it. I’d like to give an “Eternally Grateful ThankYou” to Sr. Sheila and the Columban Sisters and Staff for accepting the responsibility for MSS for more than twenty years. God provided at a time when the Maryknoll Sisters were not able. We can all take pride in Marymount Secondary School, and its graduates.

An additional “Thank You” goes to the Christian Life Community who have accepted responsibility for the School since 1998. Marymount has been very successful.
These good wishes include all at MCS who are working for the education of the students of Hong Kong.

~ Sr. Mary Lou Teufel