What We Do
Sisters' Stories
Sr Catherine Tay fmdm
My life story started from my grandparents who migrated from China as traders to Singapore. At school I was very active in the literary and drama groups and the choir. On finishing school I joined the teaching profession which I cherished very much. I led a very sociable and fashionable life-style, frequented movies, socials or dancing parties.
I can recall a Sunday at the age of ten when a policeman came to inform us that my father was involved in a road accident, from which he subsequently died. My courageous mother, aged thirty-two, cared for us - six children, ranging from 3 to 12 years of age.
I attended a retreat in Kuantuan, East Malaysia, where I heard "a still small voice" (Kings 19:12) summoning me to follow the mission of Jesus. My then spiritual director advised me to join the FMDMs, following in the footsteps of St Francis through the gifts he has given me in faith, hope and love. This call to loving relationship with God is maintained and deepened by prayer in community and in our daily work and in participation in Christ's sacrifice of the Eucharist.
During the novitiate I worked in the garden, planting and digging, raking leaves - I have acquired a love for creation, finding God in his creatures and among nature.
I was most privileged to be one of the five FMDMs to make a pioneer pilgrimage to Assisi in Italy, visiting where St Francis of Assisi lived. I felt most enriched throughout this journey, reliving the life of St Francis of Assisi. My journey in Religious Life has taken me from Singapore to UK, Europe, Malaysia and Australia.
My spiritual journey has been much enhanced by accepting the call to go where the Lord wanted me to be: from simple ground level tasks, eg answering telephone calls/reception duties to management administration/finance, including five years in a multimedia organisation and finally to train in Clinical Pastoral Education. I learned to accept each day as it comes, to be myself, to self nurture and give thanks to God for leading me to where he wanted me to be. This ministry of Pastoral Care enables me to have a compassionate spirit and a listening heart to accompany people on their journey. As I accompany patients in hospitals/their own homes or with university students in chaplaincy ministry (find out more) I thank the Lord for blessing me with multi-gifts as well as good health, joy, a broad outlook on life and appreciation of people of different nationalities, religious affiliations and background. I pray that I will continue to strive to “act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God” (Micah) and be Christ to all with whom I come into contact.