By Sister Angelita Roferos SSpS

Sister Walfridis SSpS, born Gertrud Walter, is a rare diamond in more than one sense. She is a German-Filipina. Her father, Eugene, was from German and her mother, Felisa Ebio, from Bacon, Sorsogon, where she was born on November 15, 1915. When Gertrud entered the Mission Congregation of the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit 25 years later she took the name ‘Walfridis.’

Sister Walfridis is an even rarer diamond in that she is probably the first and, so far, only religious from the Philippines to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee in Papua New Guinea where she first went in 1952. Apart from the period between 1959 and 1968, when she worked here in the Philippines, she has lived in PNG. In 1998 the government there gave her special resident status because she wants to stay there till the Lord calls her, and to be buried there. 

That same year, the centennial of the Philippine Republic, the government here, through its embassy in Port Moresby, conferred on Sister Walfridis and on Sister Mary Jeanette Matela SSpS, also in PNG, the title Bagong Bayani.

Sister Walfridis has lived through tumultuous times. She made her first vows on May 8, 1943, in the middle of the War, and her final vows six years later when she was teaching in Holy Ghost College, Manila, now College of the Holy Spirit. In November 1952 she went on mission to Papua New Guinea. As she experienced Philippine Independence here in 1946, so did she experience the independence of PNG in 1975.

Teaching has been the major part of Sister Walfridis’s ministry both here and in PNG. While at the Vocation School for Girls run by the Holy Spirit Sisters in the highlands of PNG she combined teaching with pastoral work. When she retired she engaged herself in sewing until she went partly blind from glaucoma.

Sister Walfridis has contributed more than once to Misyon recently about her Diamond Jubilee. We wish her many more years of joyful service as a Missionary Sister Servant of the Holy Spirit.

Sister Angelita is Provincial Superior of the Province of the Holy Rosary of the Servants of the Holy Spirit in Manila. There are more than 250 sisters in the Philippines and nearly 40 from here on overseas mission. provsup@speedsurf.pacific.net.ph is the email address of Sister Angelita.

St Mary’s Convent
PO Box 882
Goroka, EHP
Papua New Guinea

 

My dear Friends,

I would like to share
with you my memorable celebration of my Diamond Jubilee as a Missionary
Sister Servant of the Holy Spirit this year.  On May 8 at 5 pm we
had Holy Mass concelebrated by four SVD priests in our chapel.  The
Filipinos who come to our chapel for Sunday Mass were present. 
After Mass we had a festive meal.  The Filipinos brought all kinds
of Filipino dishes.

Please help me to thank
the Lord for the many graces he has given me in the past 60 years as a
Missionary Sister Servant of the Holy Spirit.  Every day I pray for
all missionaries and ask the Lord to bless each according to what each
needs most.  May God bless each one of you now and always.

 

Respectfully,

Sister Walfridis SSpS