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A Never Retired Nun: Sr. Noel Mary Menezes

May 30, 2015 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
It was her humility that captured my attention. She was humble yet rich in knowledge and wisdom. Her contribution to education in Guyana, especially higher education, is remarkable.
I am delighted to express my honours to Sr. Noel, for she has been appointed by the President to the Order of Roraima of Guyana, the second highest award in the country. I was so exultant to hear this great news for she deserves this award for her academic excellence and more importantly for her service to the less fortunate children of our society.
This is not only good news for the nation but for the Catholic Church in Guyana. The Church in Guyana has been in the forefront of the society in forming the young men and women for others.
One of my friends recalled, “Sister Noel had tremendous command over the children whilst at the Church; when she entered the Church, there was a pin drop silence. Everyone looked up to her as a good mother”. She has been popular not only among the academics but also among the poor people. She was a person of integrity intertwining her academic with service of the poor.
She has been an inspiration for many of the boys and girls; she is one of the second great inspirations to me after an old nun in England, Sr. Chris Fealey, who used visit prisons at the age of 90; she was well respected as the religious governor of the prison and prisoners addressed her as mother.
Sr. Noel has been an inspiration for many for basically two effects; namely her academic excellence and her service to the less fortunate. She not only educated men and women for others, but also showed in her life how one has to show sympathy for the less fortunate.
Her academic excellence was not known to me until I browsed the website Guyana Achievers, which read an extensive biography on her career. Her work on Portuguese history is noteworthy. Her publication titled “The Portuguese of Guyana: A Study in Culture and Conflict” (1992) and the earlier work, “Scenes from the History of the Portuguese in Guyana” (1986), added to my knowledge of cultural diversity of this beautiful nation. Her laudable work in the University of Guyana, in the Department of History, showed her as person of great learning. The CXC students would have read her name in the Caribbean History Syllabus, so now you know why Sr. Noel has been awarded this eminent honour. She has the prestigious Golden Arrow of Achievement award to her credit, which was awarded in 1982.
Sr. Noel never basked in the glory of her achievements as an outstanding educator and loved her real mission to serve the disadvantaged. She served at the St. John Bosco Orphanage in Plaisance for over 30 years. She had special love and care for the children who are in need of a mother. She has been visiting the Mahaica Hospital for patients suffering from Hansen’s disease regularly, which she still does with her close friends like Sr. Celine and Pat Pierre.
She is a tireless and non-retired person who cares for the boys. The boys have an utmost respect and love for this elderly sister, which I can see on their faces when I chat with them. When she was awarded this prestigious award, her heart was not in the award, as she was a little downcast because one of her boys at the home was ill. This showed me the greatness of a person who has been awarded this great award yet her love and care for the boy remained priority.
Let me conclude by congratulating Sr. Noel on winning this award and appeal to everyone that we need to look up to the people like Sister who have achieved such great fame, both nationally and internationally. Let us look at our local talents and be inspired to be excellent in our endeavours. It is significant to remember the less fortunate people whilst we enjoy the fame and glory. Sister Noel must inspire our young people to be excellent in academics and excellent in our service to the nation.
Fr. Jerry Melwin Dias SJ
Diocese of Georgetown

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