SR. MARGARET TIMOTHY SATO

My hometown is Honolulu, Hawaii. Throughout my growing up years, there was the presence of music in our home. My mother was the music director for a dance troupe that performed in Waikiki for decades. That experience of seeing her rehearse and perform with dances and singers formed my appreciation for all types of music. If the piano weren’t playing in the house, then the vinyl records would often be spinning on the turntable.

The Daughters of St. Paul have a book and media center in downtown Honolulu and that is how I came to meet them. The sisters were always so welcoming and eager to engage me in various tasks they needed to have done, and that made me sense that they could envision me alongside them. That welcoming spirit was an encouragement for me to discern a vocation with the Daughters of St. Paul.

I love being a Daughter of St. Paul because it puts us in contact with people of all different backgrounds. Our mission brings us to all parts of the country, big cities, small towns, and different neighborhoods. In all these places, people want to hear the assurance that God is Hope, that God truly cares for them and loves them. I believe that our music is a powerful means for God’s message of Hope and Mercy to be “heard” within the hearts of people.

When I was a novice, I was asked to be part of the choir. At that time we had just a small recording studio and it was definitely not totally sound proof. The sisters working outside the studio in the pre-press and design area had to walk gently and speak softly, otherwise we would most likely have to do a re-take. I enjoy singing with the choir because it’s a total communal project and you sense God’s presence in a very strong way. I feel it especially with our live concerts. The unity of intention and voice among us and the energy that we put forth is only possible by God’s grace.

People will sometimes ask me what type of music I enjoy. I really enjoy just about all types of music, provided they promote what is good and beautiful. I have my mother to thank for that. She gave me a great primer in her love for almost every music genre. So I have playlists of different types – fave classical, oboe solos, jazz, blues, and yes – classic rock.

People don’t expect me to be a very big, die hard baseball fan. At this point I’ve lived most of my life in Boston and so I have come to look forward to sharing the joy and pain of being a card carrying Boston Red Sox fan.