Sister Disciples of the Divine Master
(PDDM=Pie Discepole del Divin Maestro)
11 Vermont Street, Auckland,1011 NZ
“In 1908, I began to pray and to have prayers said that a religious family might come into being, a family marked by a hidden life and dedicated to Adoration, to Priestly service and to Liturgy. A family which would completely belong to Jesus the Divine Master.” These are words of the Founder, Father James Alberione, founder of the Pauline family, as he prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. The Congregation came to exist on February 10, 1924, in Alba, Italy.
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In New Zealand the Sisters arrived in Auckland in 1974. The first community was established at 19 New Street, Ponsonby. Three years later in January 1977, the community transferred to 11 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, where they carry on their specific threefold apostolate. The house of Ponsonby, Auckland, is the Formation House.
Eucharistic Apostolate:
Each day the Sister Disciple prays before the Blessed Sacrament, from which she draws the life-giving grace to be in Christ, a living and working member of the Church. The Sister Disciple prays for the needs of the whole Church and for all mankind. Also she prays in reparation and adoration, and implores the graces needed for all people throughout the world. In Auckland the Sisters pray each day at St Patrick’s Cathedral, and each Friday at Sacred Heart Church, Ponsonby, together with a number of the welcomed faithful.
The perpetual Adoration is their principal apostolate, and is the source and root of all their activities.
PRIESTHOOD APOSTOLATE:
In the spirit of Mary most holy, the Sister Disciple offers her contribution of prayer and work for priests. She prays for vocations to the priesthood, and accompanies the clergy with her prayers and assistance. The Sister Disciples offer this assistance especially in rest homes for priests, as doctors, nurses or dentists, and in any other way that is needed to accomplish this apostolate efficiently.
The Sisters have a special task to pray for priests not only in this life – they continue to offer suffrages for those who have passed into eternity.
LITURGICAL APOSTOLATE:
The love of the Eucharist brings the Sister Disciples to employ every talent and means to draw souls closer to God. For this reason the Sisters are trained to instruct in the liturgical field, so that people may understand, and better love, and live the liturgical life of the Church. The Sisters use the various forms of art such as music, sewing and embroidery, woodcarving, sculpture and ceramics, screen-printing and architecture, as means for bringing people closer to the Lord.
The communities of the Sister Disciples are centered in the person of Jesus Master, present in his Word, in the Eucharist and in every person that the sisters are called to serve. The Word and the Eucharist become the chosen means in the process of integrating the difficulties of daily life and mission.
Common life is characterized by mutual love and respect. Each member shares her joys and hopes, bears the burdens of others and recognizes the gifts of each one placed at the service of the mission.
The sisters seek to be responsible for their continuous formation, in recognition of the importance of progressive and gradual assimilation of the values of the Gospel for the fulfilment of their ministry.
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER (Pie Discepole del Divin Maestro) IN AUCKLAND
26 October 1998: The feast day of the Divine Master was given extra importance with the final religious profession of Sister Cecilia Vakameilalo. Bishop Pat Dunn and ten priests con-celebrated the mass in the church of the Sacred Heart.
October 1998: A group of six children prepared by Sister Bernadette Alofa made their first communion at the parish Sunday mass. The mass also celebrated the centenary of the death of Saint Therese-of-the-Child-Jesus who is patron saint of the Ponsonby Samoan community.
8 December 1996: On the feast of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Sister Scholastica Amalamo made her perpetual religious profession at a mass celebrated by Reverend Bishop Pat Dunn and seven other priests.
December 1993: Reverned Bishop Dennis Browne celebrated the mass for the final religious profession of sisters Claire Ioane and Lydia Whitely.Twelve priests concelebrated the mass in the Sacred Heart Church.
3 October 1993: Monsignor Pat Dunn, the vicar general, concelebrated mass with Father Maka, the chaplain of the Tongan community, and Father Terry Fitzpatrick SM to celebrate the feast day of the Divine Master.
October 1990: Holy hour was led by the sisters in cooperation with the Serra club praying for vocations.
March 1990: Reverend Bishop Dennis Browne together with Bishop J. Rodgers officiated the mass to celebrate the golden jubilee of the profession of Mother Annunciata Stannizi.
July 1989: First religious profession in the Sacred Heart church of Sisters Styarina Saina, Francis Iakopo, Scholastica Amalamo, and Agnes Ipolito.
June 1987: The first religious professions of Sisters Koreti Aiono, Clare Ioane and Margaret Aukusitino. Reverend Bishop Dennis Browne DD officiated.
November 1984: Sisters began the holy hour in the parish every Friday ending with the midday mass.
7 February 1981: Sisters celebrated the first religious profession of Mary Lou McDonald.
December 1980: Sister Colette Grant played the organ for the first time at the Christmas vigil mass and the Sisters sang for the Christmas morning mass.
October 1980: On mission sunday the sisters celebrated the adoration of the blessed sacrament with parishioners.
June 1979: Sisters became taking an active part in the parish life by their participation at Sunday mass as Eucharistic ministers and readers. They became active in the preparation of the faithful/ laity for the sacraments and singing during the lenten season.