Sister Paulette Yeung
Current Ministry Location-Hawaii
Paulette Yeung was born June 22, 1937 in Canton, China to Tung Kong Man and Yeung Chan Kei. She had 4 sisters: Cecilia, May Ng, Sau May Lai, Lai May Yu and one brother: Yui Fong (David). Paulette grew up in Hong Kong but graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Macau in 1950.
Paulette entered the Maryknoll Sisters September 1, 1963 at the Novitiate in the Philippines. She professed First Vows March 19, 1966 in the Philippines and Final Vows March 19, 1972 in Hong Kong-Macau.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education-History from Maryknoll College, Quezon City, Philippines in 1969, Paulette received her first assignment to Hong Kong where she served in three secondary schools as teacher, supervisor and principal. In Macau, Sister Paulette directed a Diocesan Pastoral Youth Center and founded Harmony House, the first shelter for battered women in Hong Kong.
In 1977 Paulette was assigned to Hawaii at St. Francis Hospital as a Community Outreach Worker. Her priority was to concentrate on workshops and teaching so that I could share her experiences with others who were interested and promoted prevention of compulsive gambling and domestic violence. Sister Paulette taught a course at Hawaii Pacific University on Compulsive Gambling, and worked with the Hawaiian Coalition Against Legalized Gambling and the Institute for Religion and Social Change.
After receiving her Master’s degree in Social Work from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1988, Sister Paulette was assigned to Hawaii to work as program director in an immigrant program of child and family services. This led to her assignment in 1992–1996 to Korea where she was a counselor in a shelter for abused women and helped migrant workers.
Sister Paulette’s Chinese ministry continued as she helped at Star of the Sea Parish in Honolulu. She was also involved with the Chinese Community Action Coalition activities. Sister Paulette was a counselor for abused women and their children at United Church of Christ Transition Home.
Sister Paulette served as coordinator and counselor from the opening of the Tea House of St. Mary’s Chinese Center, San Francisco, CA. in 1998. There she continued a long tradition of providing a wide variety of social services and acculturation programs, including individual and family counseling. In 1999, Sister Paulette earned a Certificate in counseling from the California Gambling Counselor Board. Sister Paulette volunteered on the Chinese Community Task force on Problem Gambling and gave counseling and therapy to compulsive gamblers and their families. In 2001, Paulette earned a Certificate for Domestic Violence Prevention, from the State of California.
Her priority was to concentrate on workshops and teaching so that she could share her experiences with others who were interested and promoted prevention of compulsive gambling and domestic violence. Sister Paulette taught a course at Hawaii Pacific University on Compulsive Gambling, and worked with the Hawaiian Coalition Against Legalized Gambling and the Institute for Religion and Social Change.
On December 9, 2009, Sister Paulette was awarded the Champion and Unsung Hero Community Award by the San Francisco Community Advisory Committee of the City and County of San Francisco, CA.
In 2004, Sister Paulette was assigned to Hawaii.