Sister Nenita Tapia

Current Ministry Location – Philippines

Nenita Tapia was born May 30, 1932 in Manila, Philippines to Adriana (Valencia) Tapia and Jose M. Tapia. She had 2 brothers: Jessie & Jose, and 1 sister: Felicidad. Nenita graduated from the University of Santo Tomas High School, Manila, and Republic of the Philippines in 1948. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines in 1952 and a Master of Science in Chemistry from the same University in 1959.

Nenita Tapia entered the Maryknoll Sisters September 2, 1960 from Espiritu Santo Church in Manila to the novitiate in Topsfield, MA. She professed First Vows June 24, 1963 in Topsfield and Final Vows June 24, 1969 in Bolivia.

In 1964, Sister Nenita received her first overseas mission assignment to Cochabamba, Bolivia. There she taught Chemistry and Religion, as well as supervising the Religion Program in Maryknoll High School. Sister Nenita taught Chemistry at the State Technical University and worked as a research chemist in a laboratory funded by the United Nations in Oruro, Bolivia.

She was assigned to the Center, Maryknoll NY in 1973 to become supervisor of the Development Department’s Data Processing Office for 3 years. In 1975, Sister Nenita was assigned to Bandung, W. Timor, Indonesia where she was a lab instructor in the Institute of Technology and did research in Appropriate Technology. Sister Nenita served in Kupang, Indonesia, in the Catholic University, where she headed up the new Science/Chemistry Department, was head of the library, and also found time to do some retreat work.

In 1989 Sister Nenita was assigned to Manila, Philippines. There she was certified in Clinical Pastoral Education and worked as campus minister at the State Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She gave Bible Study seminars to students, coordinated religious and spiritual activities of Catholic students in the school. Sister Nenita was liaison to the Administration which scheduled liturgical services for school celebrations of graduation, anniversaries, and other special occasions.

Sister Nenita returned to the United States where she was given the position of Business/Admissions Administrator in the Maryknoll Sisters Mission Institute for three years. In 2003, Sister Nenita returned to the Philippines where she resumed holding Bible Study Seminars and became involved in Vocation Ministry, with a brief stint of six months at the Baguio Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary.