２７３：日本人シスターの英語力

小生も日本人の英語力をかなり貶し過ぎたので、この辺で、罪滅ぼしながら、先人の素晴らしい英語力を紹介したい。さらに８０歳を超えておられる大先輩のお書きになった普段着の英語であるから尚更素晴らしい。

話は長くなるが、下記の自己紹介記事は日本でもおなじみの聖心女子大学の母体であるカトリック聖心会の東洋管区長であられた「シスター速水彌生」のものである。昔は、管区長クラスであればシスターではなくマザーという称号が与えられていたが、１９６７年（？）の第２バチカン公会議の刷新によって全てシスターとなった。マザーテレサはそれ以前既にマザーになっておられたのである。東洋管区も多分今は日本管区と名前は変わっている。これについては下記に述べられている。

さて、フランスの聖心会本部では当然のことながらウェブサイトを持っていて、世界の各管区のシスターの自己紹介を載せている。偶々、シスター速水の自己紹介があり、ここに転記する次第である。

なぜなら、実にすばらしい英語であるから。失礼ながら多分８０歳は超えておられる。

デジタル化するに当たって１か所間違いがあるが、これは本部側のミスであろう。FijiとあるのはFuji（不二）の間違い。所謂「不二聖心」のことである。

さてじっくりご堪能ください。

My name “Yayoi” is a classical Japanese word for March, and its Chinese character was contained in the names of Grandfather and of my parents so that it is a part of my name. I am the eldest daughter and I have two younger sisters. When I was about two years old, I was given a cake bought at a bakery. In running upstairs to show it to Father, I fell over the railing onto the garden below. I was told later that Father dashed out of the house barefoot and picked me up in his arms. Though our family had no Christian connection, my father, who was a painter, decided that I should go to Sacred Heart kindergarten, the only reason being that it was near our house. This was the first of God’s plans for me. At the Kindergarten, I began to cry as soon as I saw nuns in black habits. Since then, even after going up to the primary school, I cried everyday for a couple of years. When I was in Primary 3rd Year, my homeroom teacher said that it was bad training on the part of my parents. From that time on, I stopped crying so as not to cause embarrassment to my parents.

Father lost one leg in his youth. When he was jammed between a streetcar and a motor car, it flashed in his mind that as long as his head and hands were uninjured, he would be able to go on painting. He protected his head and hands and he was able to lead the life of a painter. He traveled in Europe and Egypt to study paintings. It was only on the last day of the journey that his artist friend was so surprised to discover that he had only one leg. He was a man who did not bother to think about himself.

Towards the end of World War II, incendiary bombs hit our garden but as people on the property were in the shelter, no one was hurt. When the War ended, the general thinking was that it would be wise to study English. I had English lessons with an American lady living near by. I was then a student of Sacred Heart Senmongakko which girls who desired for higher education after high school attended. When Sacred Heart University was opened, Senmongakko became part of the University according to Japanese Educational Law.

I was very much impressed when two students received Baptism. One of them was Sadako Ogata. I was baptized the following year as the third one to be baptized in the University Chapel. On the campus, there were no buildings other than three Quonset huts and the house that belonged to Prince Kuni, the preceding owner of the property. What gave me joy was that I discovered my Father’s painting in the ceiling decoration. It had been presented to the Imperial Family with those of other painters.

I admired Mother Britt, the President of the University, and her utter devotedness led to my vocation. I worked as her secretary for five years. Finally the time came for me to enter the novitiate and it was Sr. Keiko Iwai, who was then a High School student at Fiji Sacred Heart School at Susono, met me at Numazu Raiway Station. The novitiate at Obayashi had recently been transferred to Susono where buildings were of simple wooden structures that housed many novices and nuns.

After my first vows, I taught English at Susono for some time. Then I was sent to Tokyo to be home room teacher for the two classes of High School 2nd Year at Sankocho. Sr. Yamagata and Sr. Shinjo in their high school days were in my class. It seemed that they sympathized with me because I was teaching 20 hours a week besides classes in Senkoka (finishing school) and looking after nearly a hundred boarders. It was too much and I was sent to Obayashi the following year. At Obayashi I had classes in the annex of Sacred Heart University. After a while I was down with tuberculosis, probably due to hard workload at Sankocho and had to be hospitalized at Christ Roix. However, I became well enough to return to Obayashi to take charge of the boarding school.

I was to go to Probation in 1985 and I was told to go to Ireland instead of to Rome because I tended to overwork. I was really disappointed! But in Ireland I was much struck by its beautiful nature and the warmth of the people. Now I feel very grateful for the precious time in Ireland. On the way back to Japan, I visited Rome. After some time in Obayashi, I was sent to Sapporo.

At that time, it was decided that probation would be in Japan. What was my surprise when I was told to be one of the probation directors. In order to prepare for the work, I was sent to Canada and to Joigny. Two groups of probanists had their probation in Japan. The team of directors was Sr. Joan Faber, Sr. Brigitte Tribot-Laspiere and myself. All three of us had a hard time because of differences in culture. We had fierce discussion everyday but now that has become a sweet memory. Father Okumura (Carmelite) gave a workshop in spirituality and Buddhist priests and nuns were invited to talk to the probanists. Ecumenical liturgy was introduced. Finally we experienced life at Koyasan Zen Temple, reciting Sutra and taking meals in Zen style. This is written in “Reflections – The Japanese Spirituality Workshop.”

Another bolt from the blue for me was being nominated provincial. The province was going through a difficult stage for it consisted of four countries, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and Japan which had to be organized into one – a most difficult task.

After finishing my mandate as provincial, my desire that I had nursed for many years was realized. Since Japan Province was founded from Australian-New Zealand Province, I wanted to do what I could to show my gratitude for what they had done for Japan Province. I was allowed to go for two years and I think I understood a little of the feelings of missionaries.

To sum up, my life story is a story of gratitude to the Merciful Lord for having called me to follow in his footsteps, a cry-baby knowing nothing about Christianity, without disposition for carrying out big responsibilities, never thinking of doing such things, no ability for languages. When I went to Joigny, I had the privilege of sleeping in the bed used by St. Madeleine Sophie. Was it she who guided me?! John Govan said, “Gift of Faith is gift of Acceptance!” This is my conviction as I live day by day.

Yayoi Hayami rscj
Province of Japan

普段中々日本人のシスターの皆さんとはお話しする機会がないし、こうした自伝的なことにも触れることがないが、英語で知りえたことは幸いである。