Margao: Sr Mary Jane Pinto (SFN), popularly known as Mother Jane, passed away on Wednesday morning after a brief illness. The funeral will take place on April 21 at 3 pm at Our Lady of Rosary Church, Navelim.
Sr Mary Jane started the Prison Ministry, Goa Unit, in 1997 after she was appointed as the area coordinator by the central office of the Prison Ministry India. She worked closely with prison authorities to ensure that prisoners were treated with dignity, and worked tirelessly to impart education and vocational skills, such as tailoring, handicrafts, candles and paper bag-making, counselling, sports, plumbing and electrical wiring, computer training, and painting.
Sr Mary Jane played a big role in setting up a centre of IGNOU and NIOS within jail premises with the help of the jail administration. Inmates are now able to appear for examinations within the premises, without being taken to examination centres outside the complex.
This facility has resulted in several inmates enrolling themselves in different disciplines provided both by IGNOU and NIOS. She had the privilege of seeing some of them pass with flying colours in the first such exam in December 2015.
By her sheer dedication and commitment towards the welfare of the convicts, their families as well as the victims, she has carved out a name for herself as the ‘Angel of Prisons’.
In recognition of her efforts, the Directorate of Women and Child Development, Goa, honoured her with the prestigious Rajya Mahila Samman Award for 2014. She worked for the rehabilitation and resocialisation of prisoners after their release and tried to build up an acceptance by the family members and the victims.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has offered condolences to the family of Sr Mary Jane and other members of the mission.
He stated that Sr Mary Jane was instrumental in rehabilitating prisoners by providing counselling and vocational awareness, leading to positive attitudinal changes, mental stability and transformation of prisoners into disciplined citizens. He added that the State had lost a great social worker,who was known for her compassion, love, hope and help.