HONG KONG (SE): Strolling through Central on a Sunday afternoon, one can see paved walkways beneath skyscrapers burst into life with warm laughter, shared meals, and music as foreign domestic workers gather on their day off.
When Sister Corazon Demetillo first stepped onto those streets nearly nine years ago, she saw more than a bustling crowd. “They looked like sheep without a shepherd,” the Good Shepherd sister recalled, asking God how she could serve them.
That prayer launched a remarkable ministry. Taking over as director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre for Filipinos in January 2018, Sister Demetillo opened its doors to migrants of all nationalities, including Indonesians and Vietnamese. Now, at 77, she is preparing to step down in September, leaving a legacy marked by unwavering commitment to the underprivileged.
A house with open doors
Born into a large, generous family in Bulacan, the Philippines, Sister Demetillo grew up in a home where the door was always open and no guest ever left hungry. Her parents lived out a simple but profound theology: everything we have is a gift from God, meant to be shared. That same spirit of boundless welcome became the cornerstone of her service.
In Hong Kong, behind the bright Sunday smiles of the migrant community, she recognised deep, hidden heartbreaks: sudden contract terminations, severe illnesses, wage theft, and workplace abuse. Listening to these painful stories was heavy work, but Sister Demetillo drew strength from prayers and the workers themselves. She marvelled at their resilience—how, despite overwhelming pressure and stress, they could still sing, dance, and offer thanksgiving to God.
One of her most memorable experiences in Hong Kong came during the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2022. As infections soared, many migrant workers who tested positive were abruptly turned out onto the streets by employers. With hospitals overflowing, vulnerable women found themselves sleeping in cold parks, desperate for help.
Sister Demetillo could not stand idly by. With zero initial funding and no extra staff, she reached out to the diocese and secured permission to open a temporary quarantine shelter in Tsing Yi.
What followed was a modern miracle. Generosity poured in from every corner of the city. Food, beds, supplies, and monetary donations flooded the shelter. Volunteer mission partners stepped up to care for the sick, offer counselling, and host uplifting daily activities—from art and drum therapy to scripture reflections.
Over six months, the shelter provided a safe, dignity-affirming refuge for hundreds of recovering workers. Astonishingly, not a single volunteer or staff member contracted the virus during their service.
Dignity of migrants and the displaced
For Sister Demetillo, serving migrants was never just about providing emergency relief; it was about honouring the deep human dignity of every individual, guided by her congregation’s core principle—“a person is of more value than the world.”
She worked to transform annual events, like the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, into vibrant, multinational festivals where locals, migrants, and asylum seekers gathered as one family.
As the spiritual adviser of Simbayanan-Kammpi, she deliberately removed competitive judging from community talent showcases, choosing instead to celebrate the unique gifts of each group. Sister Demetillo described the jubilee concert in 2025 as a challenging yet meaningful journey of community-building.
The Filipino communities reflected on being “missionaries of hope” and wrote lyrics capturing their shared faith. Jesuit composer Father Manuel Francisco set these unifying words to music for the theme song “With Hearts Inflamed”, and each community uniquely interpreted the song, resulting in a powerful, collaborative witness of faith.
In recent years, her service expanded further to the plight of asylum seekers and refugees. Serving as coordinator of Pastoral Care for Displaced People formed in November 2023, she believes firmly that education is the ultimate doorway to hope.
Her team recently worked with Catholic schools to admit students facing rejection, bullying, or isolation, uniting various NGOs and committed lay members who have acted as one family of carers.
A grateful farewell
As a 23-year cancer survivor, Sister Demetillo regards life as a blessing and is ready to embrace whatever new mission awaits her back in the Philippines after a well-deserved sabbatical and time of spiritual renewal.
She leaves the pastoral centre in the capable hands of her successor, Sister Victoria Victorino of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master, who has served at the centre for a year. Her parting advice to incoming leadership is as wise as it is simple: first listen to and observe the community before making changes with love.
While leaving Hong Kong is bittersweet—especially as she says goodbye to the elderly and frail sisters in her local community—Sister Demetillo looks back with a heart overflowing with gratitude.
She emphasised that her mission could not have borne such rich fruit without God’s love, the bishops’ guidance, the dedication of mission partners and volunteers, and the joyful cooperation of the migrant communities.
Through nine years of service and quiet miracles, she has lived out the gospel calling: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” [Matthew 25:40], trusting entirely in God who leads.
