Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Thursday 28 March |
Holy Thursday of the Supper of the Lord
Aleteia logo

Meet a nun with a black belt—and it’s not a rosary

Deacon Greg Kandra - published on 08/03/13

Please consider a gift for Aleteia!
Help us spread the joy of Christ's victory.
Aleteia depends on your support.

Join our Lenten Campaign 2024.

DONATE NOW

Photo: by Desmond Lim

I’m glad we didn’t have nuns like this when I was growing up. I never would have made it past third grade.

Details:

When Sister Linda Sim was growing up, all she wanted to do was serve the nation. In the 1970s, she applied to the Singapore Armed Forces to be a front-line soldier, but was told women could take up only clerical positions. The Singapore Police Force also turned her down as she was too petite. Undeterred, the gutsy woman took up taekwondo and eventually earned a black belt. Then she heard her religious calling. “If I couldn’t serve in the army, then I will serve in God’s army,” quipped the 58-year-old Franciscan religious sister. She ran a Catholic hospital in Zimbabwe for three years, and spent 17 years in England as a religious trainee and trainer before coming home in 2004. She now works as a mission awareness coordinator at the Mount Alvernia Hospital and Assisi Hospice. On weekends, however, she swops her religious robes for a taekwondo dobok. She teaches martial arts to kids who are in remission from severe illnesses in a class sponsored by the Singapore Taekwondo Federation.

Check out the rest. And watch a great video at the link.

Support Aleteia!

Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reach more than 20 million unique users per month!

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.

Support Aleteia with a gift today!

jour1_V2.gif
Daily prayer
And today we celebrate...




Top 10
See More