Knowing their Needs and Mutual Help

Sr Cecilia Sopo MSC, 12 February 2026

I met Sr Cecilia Sopo MSC this January, while helping teach a liturgy course for Sisters in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea. We made an immediate connection, being the first Sister of my acquaintance who is also a Catechist of the form envisaged by Pope Francis in Antiquum Ministerium. She sat down with me to share some of her extraordinary story.

Cecilia was born in the little village of Amio into a family of four boys and four girls – she was the sixth. She was supposed to go to high school after her grade 8, but this was not possible when her adopted mother died. Instead, she stayed at home and joined the Legion of Mary. It was there that she developed an interest in becoming a Catechist, and wrote to her local priest. Cecilia was accepted to the Peter To Rot Catechetical Training Centre in the Archdiocese of Rabaul. After two years of formation, she graduated in 1998, then worked in Amio, which was then under the larger Uvol Parish and is now a parish of its own.

Although new for me, it is not unusual for someone trained as a Catechist to discern a calling to religious life in Papua New Guinea. So it was for Cecilia: “the thought of becoming a Sister was strong in me, so I left.” In 2006, she entered the MSC Sisters, and had her First Profession in 2009. 

Sr Cecilia MSC’s initial placement was as a Catechist and Pastoral Minister for the Tarakbits Parish in the Daru-Kiunga Diocese, where she stayed for 11 years. She worked with a priest, a Sister and two lay Pastoral Agents to minister pastorally and liturgically to the main parish centre and 16 outstations. This meant much travelling to remote bush settlements. Sr Cecilia’s work included conducting liturgies, preaching, sacramental preparation, planning and evaluation. Every week she delivered ecumenical Christian education in agency schools. She also helped to train and form the Pastoral Agents, taking them out for their pastoral experiences.

After a break of 2 years for more theological training in the Philippines, Sr Cecilia went back to her work with an expanded role. She “experienced the situation of people struggling about how to know God in their life.” However, her work was not only to help them live a Christian life, but to improve their living standards. She would teach the people about the liturgy (both Mass and Lotu Communio), prayer and catechism, as well as literacy and sewing with the mothers. Sr Cecilia visited the sick and worked with youth to give them hope. Sometimes this ministry was dramatic, taking consecrated hosts for communion to outstations across flooded rivers, but the people would always help her.

Sr Cecilia reflects that her life has helped her to “know people’s experiences, put myself in their shoes, to know their struggles and needs, especially spiritual needs.” She has been able to respond to the needs around her, and it is rewarding to know that people know how to pray and read because of her efforts. “Working as a Catechist I gain more experience of God working in the different situations I went through and still now – I see that it’s nothing more than God alone.”

Recently, Sr Cecilia’s life has developed further. In 2023 she completed her grade 10 at the OLSH Secondary School, and from 2024 she has come to work as a Catechist in the Diocese of Kavieng. She redeveloped the Sunday School program, and trained all the teachers in the Basic Christian Communities. She travels to each of these to lead Lotu Communio (Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion without a priest), conduct sacramental preparation and funerals as needs arise. Sr Cecilia coordinates programs and refresher courses for Catechists, as well as child protection awareness training. 

Sr Cecilia really values understanding the liturgy and celebrating fully. She remarks that when it is well organised and led, it attracts people to pursue the sacraments. She was particularly moved at the end of this past year when she prepared a family to receive all of the sacraments together. Yet for Sr Cecilia, this is a two-way process that gives her joy. “I give awareness, and they respond, make changes. They help us especially in the physical side if we need anything, and support us very much.” She knows and interacts with many people in her pastoral and liturgical ministry, and they give back food and money for ministry in return. They often go to Sr Cecilia first for help, and she takes their matters to the priest.

Most importantly, it is about helping their souls. She says, “I feel proud of myself and I thank God for being a Catechist – being with the people.” Thank you for your extraordinary and inspiring ministry, Sr Cecilia!

Prayer Network