By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — Sr Gemma Francisca Vong SSFS, was called home to be with the Lord on 22 October 2022 at 6.09 pm at Hospital Pusat Jantung, Kota Samarahan. She was aged 80.
Francisca Vong, professed name Sr Gemma, was born on 10 October 1942 and had lived at Home of Santa Clara, the retirement home for religious sisters, since 2020.
The Funeral Mass was held on 24 October at Blessed Sacrament Church, BDC followed by cremation, and interment at St Peter’s Columbarium, Padungan.
Tribute from Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak
We, Sisters, thank God for the life of Sr Gemma Francisca Vong, and we pray that God will “lift up His countenance upon her, and give her peace.” (Numbers 6.26)
Sr Gemma breathed her last, peacefully, while warded in Hospital Pusat Jantung, Kota Samarahan. She had been suffering from heart problems for many years.
She (then Francisca Vong) studied in Serian (Primary 1 – 5), and St Theresa’s Padungan Kuching (Primary 6). She did her Secondary education at St Teresa’s School.
She was teaching in St Theresa’s Primary School from 1 January 1966 to 9 October 1976, after which she taught in St Andrew’s School untill her retirement on 10 October 1997.
She was trained at Maktab Perguruan Rejang, Bintangor, during the Masa Cuti (School Vacation) from 1979 to 1982. She also attended the Kursus Bahasa Malaysia Khas, Institut Bahasa Kuala Lumpur from 30 October 1989 to 24 November 1989.
Sr Gemma entered the Convent in Padungan on 6 January 1963. She made her First Profession on 8 August 1965, and her Final Profession on 9 August 1970.
In school, Sr Gemma gave religious instructions to children and prepared them for First Holy Communion. She also gave religious instructions to adults and married couples.
Though busy as the animator of Convent of Mary Immaculate Padungan community, she was also involved in Church Ministry for St Peter’s Church. She was a great promoter of the Joyful Vanguard from 1978 to 1998 at the Parish Unit, Spiritual Adviser to the Church Wardens as well a Parish Councillor at St Peter’s Church, Padungan.
She had attended the following courses:
- Catechesis – St Peter’s College, Kuching on 19 January 1990
- Evangelization – Stages of Growth, February – March 1990 (3 weeks)
- Evangelization – January – February 1992 (3 weeks)
- Christian Counselling Conference in Asia, held in Singapore, 1995
Exemplary Religious
Sr Gemma was an exemplary religious, and with her experience in teaching and Christian counselling, she was appointed by our SSFS General Council for Formation Work among our young Sisters. She was the Directress of Temporary Professed / Junior Sisters, based at Padungan Convent since June 1998.
From 2003 to December 2006, she was stationed at Sarikei Convent, still holding the office of Directress of Junior Sisters. She was transferred back to Padungan residing at the Porziuncola Formation Centre from February 2007 to December 2010.
Thereafter, she was appointed as Assistant Postulant Directress residing at the Formation House, Laman Rock for four years. She retired from active ministry since January 2016 and was transferred to St Teresa’s Convent.
As she was sickly and had several health issues, she was moved to Home of Santa Clara on 22 October 2020 until our Blessed Lord called her home eternally, exactly two years later….Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak
