Sister Mary Paulita Hoffman, M.M.

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Sister Mary Paulita Hoffman, M.M., who served for half a century in Taiwan and was the oldest Maryknoll Sister at the time of her death, died March 14 at Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining. She was 104.

In Taiwan, Sister Mary Paulita did pastoral and catechetical work in parishes, in Miaoli, Hualien and Taichung, 1954-2004. She often traveled on her motorcycle.

In 2004, she returned to Maryknoll Sisters Center and volunteered for several departments there.

Sister Mary Paulita earlier served in China in direct evangelization, pastoral visiting and catechesis from 1939 to 1950, when she was placed under house arrest by the communist government. Two years later, she was expelled from China. She had to undergo emergency surgery and treatment for health issues stemming from malnutrition while she was confined. After a long recovery, she served in the Maryknoll Sisters promotion department until 1954.

Born in Cincinnati, she entered the Maryknoll Sisters in 1933 and made final vows in 1939.

A Funeral Mass was offered March 19 at Annunciation Chapel in Maryknoll Sisters Center. Burial was in the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Mary Paulita Hoffman, M.M.