Sister Marya Zaborowski
Current Ministry Location-Hong Kong
Marya Zaborowski was born December 11, 1932 in Staten Island, NY to Helen (Demboski) Zaborowski and Joseph Anthony Zaborowski. She had two sisters: Rose & Vera and one brother: Joseph. Marya graduated from St. Peter’s High School, Staten Island, NY in 1949.
Marya entered the Maryknoll Sisters September 6, 1951 at the Venard novitiate in Clark’s Summit, PA. She professed First Vows March 7, 1954 at the Center and Final Vows March 7, 1960 also at the Center. Her first mission assignment was to give Congregational Service for the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Society at the Venard from 1951 to 1952.
Sister Marya earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Xavier College, Chicago, IL in 1960.
In 1962, Sister Mayra was assigned to the China Region and her ministry was in Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital in Hong Kong. She was hospital administrator, operating supervisor, and a tutor in the school of nursing.
In 1988 Sister Mayra was appointed Congregational Health Director at Maryknoll, New York.
In 1994 Sister Mayra returned to Hong Kong and was invited to teach Human Development for Primary 5 and 6 as well as extra-curricular classes in English conversation.
In 2007, through a former Maryknoll priest, Sister Marya started working as an editor at the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in Mong Kok, Kowloon. Since 1986, the AHRC has been valued because it provided a regional human rights mechanism within Asia. It represented an important initiative on the part of Asia people to take responsibility for dealing with their own problems rather than relying on international and western bodies. Sister Marya said, “My horizons have been expanded by this collaboration and it was a joy to go to work each day, because new things constantly popped up.”
In addition to her teaching and human rights work, Sister Marya spent Sunday mornings teaching level four in St. Teresa’s Church School of Religion. I had thirteen boys and girls and had to redo my entire psychology and mental attitudes from nursing students to sharing my life and spiritual vision with eight to ten year olds.”
Today, she remains in Hong Kong. Although she retired in 1998, she continues to volunteer as needed.