05/10/2026
THE BLACK SISTERS OF NEW BRITAIN - Story Out!
The Japanese won a swift victory when they invaded Rabaul in January 1942. They imprisoned all Europeans who survived the attack but most missionaries were kept separate. The Catholics were the first placed in a prison camp in Vunapope, South of Rabaul. Papua New Guinean brothers, sisters and catechists were allowed to remain free.
The Daughters of Mary Immaculate sisters, who were from various parts of New Britain, were greatly distressed to be separated from the missionaries. Bishop Scharmach sent a message from his prison camp advising them to exchange their religious habits for ordinary clothing and to return to their homes where they might be safer.
But they were not afraid of the Japanese who called them ‘Black Sisters’- and they decided to stay nearby and continued to dressed as nuns. At first, the sisters lived in a convent at Takabur village, about 13kilometers from Vunapope, but then they were thrown out when Japanese wanted the buildings. Still unafraid of the danger, they stayed in huts and started gardening.
The missionaries at Vunapope didn’t have enough foods each day the sisters took them baskets of fuits and vegetables. There were more than 300 missionaries to feed and only 45 sisters, so their leader sister Sister Cecilia organized them into groups. They rose each day before dawn and took turns farming and carrying food to Vunapope.
On 11th of February 1944, American planes bombed Vunapope and some people were killed. The others ran to shelter in tunnels that had been dug in the nearby hills. The bombings continued every day that everyone had to move out. The missionaries were ordered to a prison camp at Ramale to the South of Vunapope.
The sisters never gave up, they also moved to a valley called Lalapit, not far from Ramale to be close to provide help. While helping out two Sisters Anna and Sophia were killed by the bombings. People who supported the Americans and Australians knew they were been spied on. The spies were mostly young New Guinean men who were unbale to return to their distant homes because of the war.
They reported to the Japanese police that one of the sisters, Theresia had said, ‘AMERICA NUMBER ONE, NIPPON (JAPAN) NUMBER TEN’. Japanese considered it a crime and took several sisters including Cecilia and Theresia for questioning. When both denied they started torturing them. Bamboo poles were placed behind their knees while kneeling. They were made to sit while the men stepped onto the poles.
The Japanese took out their bayonets and threatened to cut of Theresia’s head, the torture continued into the evening and towards four o’clock into the morning they were released. Soon after the sisters were ordered to report to one of the Japanese commanders, Captain Sakaiama. He wanted to meet the Black Sisters. When asked do they liked Americans the sisters replied they liked everybody. They cried out, “this is not our war but yours, we have nothing to do with it.” “We obey your laws and not fighting anybody.” The captain remains speechless and had to release them.
On 17th August 1945, Bishop Scharmach was called to the Japanese police camp and was told the war was over. Four weeks later Australian soldiers arrived at Ramale with food and clothing while the missionaries and the Black Sisters were finally able to move back to Vunapope. Life returned to normal but sister Theresia never recovered from the tortures and died on 21st March 1946.
