Born: August 19, 1968
First Profession: May 22, 1998
Died: February 28, 2026
Born to Thomas and Philomena Gomes, Sr. Jhorna grew up with 3 loving sisters and in this family Sr. Jhorna was formed by nature, by culture and by Religion. Her people were strongly religious and her life style very simple. Sr. Jhorna’s mother saw that the family prayed together morning and evening and that they knew the Mother of Jesus was with them as a living presence.
When Sr. Jhorna’s father died, she left High School to help support her mother and 3 sisters. She was hired at the Tuital clinic run by the Marist Missionaries. There she earned the nick name, “Sergeant Major”, as she became the go to person for every emergency, for managing the crowds and for all around help. Sr. Jennifer Clarke, smsm, taught her and her sister, medical training, even to birthing babies. The sisters saw the potential and intelligence in Sr. Jhorna and insisted that she continue her high school. She would be paid the same and she could work at the clinic on her time off from school and weekends. Sr. Jhorna was already hearing the call in her heart to become Mary’s disciple. She was amazed at the dedication, love and commitment of the Sisters who had left all to help her people. Attracting her was their great love and their great joy.
July 1, 1993, Sr. Jhorna began her Postulancy in Tuital with Srs. Jennifer Clarke, Margaret Ryan and Jacinta Fidow. In 1995, she would go to Australia. Leaving Bangladesh brought many tears to her family and village, everyone knew Sr. Jhorna. Her mother came to Dhaka to spend the last night with her. She told Sr. Jhorna : “Mother Mary gave you to me and now I give you back to Her. When you are lonely and when you miss me, find her and you will find me. She will be your Mother”.
Sr. Jhorna went to visit the grave of Sr. Elisabeth O’Brien, in Dhaka, pioneer SMSM to Bangladesh, now buried at Tejgon. Sr. Jhorna says that Sr. Beth planted the seed for her vocation. She would ask Beth to help her on her journey to be an SMSM.
On arriving in Australia, a great welcome was given Sr. Jhorna, our first vocation from Bangladesh. All the Sisters welcomed her and this experience of loving community remained her treasured gift. On May 31st, 1996, Jhorna joined 6 other young women, from many cultures, to begin her Novitiate in New Zealand.
On May 22, 1998, Sr. Jhorna made her first vows at St. Mary’s Church in Auckland, New Zealand. A Marist Missionary Sister, at last, her dream come true.
Having lived in 2 Cultures and been through the difficulty of learning another language made Sr. Jhorna uniquely able to walk with other cultures. In 2000, missioned to the US, she would live at the Belmont, MA community. Her mission was one of work and study (she received her GED.) Gifted as a caregiver, Sr. Jhorna would work as a CNA and even be awarded Volunteer of the Year in 2001 at the Belmont Manor. She was also care- giver for the seniors at 62 Newton St.
September 14, 2005, Sr. Jhorna was missioned to Linstead, Jamaica. Part of a Marist Pastoral Team, she would leap right into the Church community. With her photographic memory, she memorized the system of relationships among the people, learning their names (including yard, pet, birth and other names).
A renewal program for SMSM in Rome brought special moments to her life. At the outdoor Papal Audience, she called out to Pope Francis, “PAPA”, and he turned, (it does pay to have a loud voice) and he came to her and blessed her. While praying at Lourdes she was overwhelmed by Mary’s love and how all has been blessing.
June 11, 2014, she once again left for Jamaica, for mission at Seaford town. Here she found simple village people, reminding her of her own village and what attracted her to SMSM. It was a wonderful time. There was much to do and she had not noticed that her own energy was waning, she was thinner and more tired. A visit to the Doctor brought the shocking news that she had lung Cancer.
October 4, 2019, Sr. Jhorna returned to the US, “to die”, with a prognosis of six months. Dana Farber Cancer Center would become her new mission field. Sr. Claire Rheaume would journey with her the next 7 years- which she lived to the fullest. Sr. Claire remarked: “she never complained”, rather, loving God, doing His will and placing herself in Mary’s care, was her life. Two important gifts at this time that she thanked God for was her sister’s visit from Bangladesh and her visit with her sister’s family at Christmas time. She was very close to her family.
Her last days were difficult and painful but she believed in redemptive suffering and offered her sufferings for herself, her family, her SMSM family and the world. We will miss you, Sr. Jhorna, that beautiful smile and that joyful love of life, help us to experience that joy in the Lord and in one another. Our miracle sister is now enjoying her long awaited rest in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
In Jesus and Mary,
Sr. Judith Sheridan, smsm and Sr. Claire Rheaume, smsm
Sr. Palepa Ioane, smsm
Regional Superior
