Bread for Body and Spirit!

Sister Paula Iwaki was a member of the first graduating class at Notre Dame Jogakuin (NDJ) girls’ junior/senior high school in Kyoto, Japan. For many years, she taught Japanese language and literature and served as vice principal and then principal of NDJ. She also spent two years cooking at the SSND Generalate in Rome and seven years cooking at the SSND Retreat House outside of Kyoto. Today, she helps plan for the care of the aging Japanese sisters and those with memory loss. But she continues her love of baking and education of the whole person.

Sister Paula’s new “baking career” began with a group of four NDJ graduates who gathered once a month at the Japanese-style house where Sisters Paula and Carla Okumura live. Today, a dozen women aged 40 to 73 attend the bread baking classes.

While the ingredients are being measured, mixed and kneaded, Sister Paula and her students also connect with each other. The older ladies often share their thoughts about death; those in middle age about the difficulties they face as caregivers of their aging parents; the younger ones about their work, their marriages and how to raise children. Sister Paula always joins the conversations.

And while the bread is rising and waiting to be put into the oven, they share their expertise in areas such as yoga, computers, offering one another “tips” on how to handle their difficulties. They bring their lunches and continue sharing their helpful conversations and food.

Sister Paula also teaches a monthly baking class at Notre Dame Elementary for six mothers and their daughters.

The spirit and charism of SSND are passed on in this unique way. The SSND constitution says, “we educate in schools and in other areas…we are mutually enriched…challenged to discover unsuspected ways of sharing what we have (including our talents.)” (YAS 25-27)

Just as Sister Paula shares her skills in bread baking, in what unsuspecting ways do you share your time, talent and treasures?

Adapted from an article by Sister Jean Schmid