Sister Cora M. Sakamoto, MM

Born: Feburary 26, 1921
Entered: July 1, 1941
Died: September 11, 1988

This morning we gather to express in song and prayer our earthly farewell to our beloved Sister Cora Maria Sakamoto. She touched us all in some way or another with her life.

Our celebrant of this morning’s Liturgy is Father John Devaney, Superior of the Passionist Fathers at Sierra Madre and who serve as our chaplains. Though Arcadia Methodist Hospital has chaplains, we are grateful to several of our Passionists who took the time to pray and just be with Sister during these last weeks. With us also today and concelebrating with Father Devaney are Columban Father Steen, along with Maryknoll Fathers Tom Golden, Steve Wood and Tom Amarillas. We also welcome Maryknollers Father Pat Hoffman and Brother Charles O’Neil; and gratefully acknowledge the presence of several of our Guild members as well as some of Sister Cora’ s area friends to share the Eucharist with us today.

Sister’s birth certificate states that Haruko Sakamoto was born February 6, 1921 in El Paso, Texas. Her family was deeply religious, and on November 16, 1938, Cora was baptized a Catholic in San Antonio, Texas at which time she was given the name “Mary”. She attended school in San Antonio including one year at Incarnate Word College there in 1940. In 1941, she entered Maryknoll and made her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1944; she pronounced her Final Vows on March 7, 1947. At Reception Sister received her religious name “Cora Maria”.

From 1943 to 1947, Sister Cora attended Maryknoll Teacher Training College and received her B.E. upon graduation. She was assigned to the Central Pacific where she taught and did in-house service at four of the Oahu convents for the next thirteen years. In 1960, she returned to Los Angeles and taught at the Japanese Mission School, St. Francis Xavier, for the next two years. During 1963 and 1964, Sister Cora attended Rosary College, Chicago, Illinois where she was awarded a Master’s degree in Library Science. During 1965 and 1966, she worked on the New Catholic Encyclopedia at The Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C. In August 1965, the Managing Editor, Rev. John P. Whalen requested the Congregation to extend Sister Cora’s service.

Library work then moved into center stage for her two years at Maryknoll College in Manila, Philippines, five years at Mary Rogers College Library, another four years at the Maryknoll Center Library.

In 1978 she took on the endless duties of Motherhouse Sacristan, going about this with cheerfulness, patience, and making many rough ways smooth.

In 1984, she chose to move to Monrovia, where she filled her days with many house chores, librarian, sacristan and always ready to get into the car and go, especially if it was a shopping trip.

In January 1958, there was an indication of the onset of some health problems. However, that was thirty years ago. How she managed is not known, but for those of us who have walked these last miles with her at Monrovia we know that she had a tremendous capacity to suffer, a tremendous capacity to be as little burden to others as possible, and a tremendous optimism.

Cora, you were an inspiration to all of us and we are going to miss your shuffling about in our midst, but we know you are where you want to be and we rejoice in your new life and your release from the suffering which you taught us has so many noble and dignified facets to it.