Maryknoll, NY: Sister Maria Norma Valdemoro, teacher and pastoral care worker died on November 28th, 2022 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 87 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 56 years.
Norma was born in Baleno, Masbate Province in the Philippines, to Filomeno Valdemoro and Amada (Laurio) Valdemoro. She had four brothers: Huberto, Jose, Herminio and Rev. Filomino and four sisters: Teresita, Linda, Nimfa and Purita. Her brothers Hermino and Rev. Filomino have pre-deceased her.
In 1953 Norma graduated from Aroroy High School in Aroroy, Philippines. She then studied at Bicol Teachers College in Legaspi City, Philippines from 1953 – 1957 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. After graduation she worked as a teacher from 1959 – 1965 with the Bureau of Public Schools in Aroroyo and then at Maryknoll High School from 1965 – 1966.
On June 26, 1966 she entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Quezon City, Philippines. She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on June 22nd, 1969 in Quezon City before moving to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, New York. Then she pronounced her Final Profession of Vows on September 2nd, 1972 in Chile. In 1970, Sister Norma received her Master’s Degree in Education from Abad Santos Educational Institute in Manila, Philippines and later that year she was assigned to Chile, South America. After language study in Cochabamba, Bolivia she relocated to Talcahuano, Chile and taught in the parish elementary school from 1971-1972. During this time, Sister Norma also conducted retreats for youth, taught religious education in the grade school and served as an advisor to youth leaders in the Parish Confirmation program from 1973-1979.
In 1980, she returned to the Philippines for one year to do mission education and then was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY in 1981 to work in the Congregation’s Treasury Department until 1984. She then spent 10 months at the Maryknoll Sisters Cloister before returning to Santiago, Chile in 1984. After several months helping with administration in the Sisters’ Regional Center House and taking a course in family catechetics, Sister Norma moved to the Pudahuel section of Santiago in 1985 where she did pastoral work with basic Christian communities and led a support group for women until 1993. In 1994, she moved to a settlement in northern Santiago where she worked among the urban poor doing pastoral ministry with young married couples and training lay people for leadership roles in their local parish.
In 2010, Sister Norma returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to retire, where she remained until her death.
Funeral Services:
A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Norma on Monday, December 5th, 2022 at 4:15 P.M. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.
A Mass of the Resurrection will be held on Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 also in the Chapel of the Annunciation.