On February 23, 1929, God blessed Reginaldo and Lindamira DaSilva with another baby girl. She became their fifth child – the third sister among seven sisters and three brothers. She was baptized at Rosary Church in Hong Kong, Kowloon, then a British Colony. She was given the name Geraldine Patricia, known to the family as plain “Gerry”.
As a baby, she was not a healthy child. Her mother made sure she was given the greatest loving care. The doctor assured the family that Gerry would eventually be relieved of this stressful situation, and true enough by the age of five Gerry showed signs of progress. The family, grateful to God, rejoiced that she was going to be a “normal” child! Her sister recalls that she was a generous and happy person very much inclined to giving and helping others, especially when the others were in need or in some difficulty. She was also extremely extroverted, very social and gregarious, and had a multitude of friends.
Geraldine was educated by the Maryknoll Sisters and attended classes at Maryknoll Convent School together with her siblings. Her parents provided the family with a sound education in spite of the Second World War however from December, 1941 to August, 1945 during the Japanese occupation, they did not attend school.
During the length of the war, her father and oldest brother, being members of the British Reserves had to serve prison time, leaving her mother sole caretaker of the family. They struggled during this time, physically and materially, until her mother decided to move the family, as refugees to Macau, a Portuguese Colony, When peace was declared, the family returned to Hong Kong, to an empty house, to begin a new life. The British took over the Colony and soon schools and businesses flourished bringing things back to normal.
The Maryknoll Sisters resumed classes after the war. . At school, religion was presented as the most important subject Religion also played a very important part in the family and Geraldine’s parents made sure that God was their true love and instilled a deep faith in their children which they shared with each other. A year after Geraldine’s college graduation she was offered a position in the Maryknoll Secondary School where she taught for ten years.
In the late 1950’s the adult children began emigrating. The boys to England to further their education and the girls to America. The parents remained in Hong Kong but after her father’s death, her mother joined her children and took up residence in San Francisco until her death in 1963..
In 1959 Geraldine left Hong Kong for the USA. It had been arranged that she would have a teaching position at one of the Maryknoll Schools. However due to unforeseen circumstances she arrived in Irving, Texas where the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth taught at the St. Luke Parish School. The sisters graciously accepted her as a fellow teacher and she was assigned to teach the fifth grade class. Once in the USA Geraldine earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in elementary and secondary education from the University of Dallas, and her MA in art education from North Texas University.
While teaching at St. Luke’s School, Geraldine felt the hand of God leading her to religious life. The Sisters’ charism drew her to answer that call. After much discernment she was received into the Congregation as a postulant in 1960 and continued to teach at St. Luke
At the end of that school year Geraldine entered the Novitiate and received the name “Bernardine” , however, after Vatican Two, Sister requested permission to return to her baptismal name and her wish was granted.
After her formative years as a religious, Sister returned to Texas and was assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas School in Dallas Texas. This assignment lasted two years when once again she returned to St. Luke in Irving, Texas. There she taught Social Studies and Art to Junior High students and was also given the Children’s Choir. From childhood, Music and Art were Sr. Geraldine’s love….now she used them to glorify God.
Sister spent 40 years as an educator, ten years in Hong Kong and 30 in the Texas Metroplex area. Her long teaching assignments included St. Thomas Aquinas School in Dallas, St. Luke and Holy Family Schools in Irving, Texas and St. Andrew School in Fort Worth, Texas.
In all these assignments Sister exhibited her great love of God, especially her devotion to the Sacred Heart and spread this love to her students. The children and parents all found Sister to be a caring, understanding, and gracious person who lived up to the Congregation’s charism to spread God’s Kingdom to all with whom they associate.
In 1992 until October 2006 Sister Geraldine was on the staff of Bethania Hospital Health Care Center (now United Regional Health Care) in Wichita Falls, Texas. Thee she worked in Pastoral Care and as a support person for the hospital staff. In 2006 she “retired” to Grand Prairie, Texas but continued to teach religious education classes once a week, at the Korean Catholic Church in Hurst, Texas.
At the Convent Sister continued sharing her Art and Music talents. She was often called upon to design Service Booklets or special projects for the Congregation. She offered her services willingly and graciously. Her life-long interest in art will always remain a factor of her daily life.
In 2012 Sister suffered a stroke which caused her to become paralyzed on the right side of her body as well as to lose her facility to speak properly. As time went on these conditions became more noticeable until at last sister was confined to her wheel chair and bed. One thing not affected by the stroke was her smile….As mentioned before she was a social person and loved people….this aspect of her life stayed with her to the end. Sister would join the Community at prayer and recreation where she would absorb the activities surrounding her even though she could not participate as she once did, however, her smile remained.
Sister was a vibrant person as seen through the many letters, memos, visitors, and personal memoirs she wrote. Before entering religious life, Sister held various leadership positions in organizations, especially as a Brownie guide leader and Land Ranger leader. She worked hard, organizing campfires, outdoor camping and recreation, leading the participants in song and activities. She learned to row canoes, and was quite competitive in all the above areas.
During the last couple weeks of Sister Geraldine’s earthly journey, she became less interested in activities around her. Her appetite lessened and she virtually gave up food. Most assuredly her “food” was that which nourished the soul and during her last agonizing days she most likely shared her time with Jesus, her Beloved. She probably could still hear as the Sisters’ prayed for her for she moved her lips as if trying to join them.
On the morning of May 2, after the daily Eucharistic Liturgy, the celebrant of the daily Mass visited Sister in her room to bestow on her the final prayers of the Church. As he finished blessing her with the Sign of the Cross and those around uttered “Amen” she breathed her last and went to her heavenly home.
Sister Geraldine, your Beloved Jesus, the Sacred Heart, whose mystery you took as your own, is now embracing you and saying “well done, good and faithful servant…come and rest in me” We here below know that you are in a better place, free of your pain, and discomfort. Know that your spirit and example lives on in those whose lives you touched, but left behind. May we be able to follow your advice: “Love God above all things…Treat all persons with love, dignity and respect. Live simply with your God.”
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