Sister Joann Nakamura Chiyono

I, Sister Joann Nakamura Chiyono, come from Sannmi, Hagi City, Yamaguchi. Sannmi is a farming and fishing town with a beautiful landscape that includes both mountains and the sea. Now my 86-year-old sister lives there on her own.

I was born in 1942, in the middle of the Second World War, but I don’t remember any painful and sad feelings. My father was killed in the war at the age of 31. If there hadn’t been a war, I would have led a life with my parents and grandparents, as any family would have done. The dark feeling of not being able to experience these things will always remain in my heart.

Even now, there is still war here and there in the world. The daily newspapers report heavy damage in many cities, and I can only pray that a day of peace and calm will come soon.

While I was in high school, for three years, I attended a school run by the Sisters. I saw the education and dedication the sisters had for their students.

After graduation, I attended a tailoring school in Hagi for two years and worked as an office assistant for my relative’s cab company in Tokyo. I then worked at Kobe Boys’ Town Nursing Home, which was founded by a priest, and was baptized under the guidance of the priest I worked with. My baptismal name was Joan of Arc, after St. Joan of Arc. I was filled with gratitude.

Knowing that further education would be necessary for my future, I obtained a qualification as a nanny with great difficulty and worked for two years in the Don Bosco kindergarten run by the Congregation of the Caritas Sisters of Jesus. After some time, my friend introduced me to our congregation; I visited them and attended the vocation meeting. At that time there was an age limit and I was 31 years old, so I believe I was given permission to enter quickly. I believe that meeting the Sisters in high school, my admiration for them and their sincere prayers led me to religious life.

My family’s religion is Buddhism. I am the only Catholic. I entered the Congregation on February 2, 1972 and took my first vows on September 1, 1974 and my perpetual vows on October 1, 1979. This year – in 2024 – I will celebrate the 50th anniversary of my profession (Golden Jubilee).

After joining our community, my apostolate was sewing vestments and helping with the laundry. For 18 years, I worked as a nanny in the Easter Village for Children with Special Needs (transferred to Saitama Diocese in 1999), helped with disinfection in the central material room at St. Mary’s Hospital in Himeji, helped with bathing and at the reception in Maria Villa. I have now been responsible for the chapel at St. Mary’s Hospital for 7 years.

I have very fond memories of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Assisi as well as the visit to the Generalate in Germany on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of my vows. The Generalate was large, beautiful and quiet, and I was impressed by the Sisters in prayer. I still miss the warm hearts of the sisters with their kindness and smiles.