Daughters of St Anne mourn death of “inspiring” nun

By Lalita Roshni Lakra

New Delhi: The Catholic Church in India has mourned the death of a Daughters of St Anne nun, who had witnessed to Christian love and service in eastern India and Andaman and Nicobar islands for decades.

Sister Eveline Ekka died of Covid-19 at 3 pm on May 19 at North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri. She was 76.

Mata Eveline, as other nuns in the Ranchi-based congregation called her, began her missionary work in Port Blair diocese. She served Mayabunder parish of the diocese that covers entire Andaman and Nicobar for six years from 1971.She was the regional superior the congregation’s Andaman mission during 1988 and 1994.

She was in charge of St. Anne’s College Hostel in Ranchi from 1977 and 1982. She taught as an assistant teacher in St. Aloysius School, Ranchi, and then became the superior of St. Anne’s Convent Kurpania, Bokaro, a post she held for seven years from 1982.

During 1994-1999, she also served as the superior of St. Anne’s Mother House in Ranchi, the congregation’s biggest community with more than 100 members.

She was appointed superior of the congregation’s Gumla between 1999 and 2003. She became the first superior of the Gumla, the congregation’s second province on February 2, 2003 and served it unil May 12, 2006.

She was then sent to the Bengal Mission, which was then a region. In 2009, when Jalpaiguri became the congregation’s fourth province Sister Ekka served as its first councilor.

Sister Ekka was born Anna Elice, the first child of John Ekka and Karmela Tirkey on July 26, 1944, in Dumbertoli Majhatoli parish under Ranchi archdiocese.

After studies in St. Anne’s School, Majhatoli, high school from Ursuline Convent High School in Gumla, and Teachers Training Course, she joined the Daughters of St. Anne in 1968. She took her first profession in 1970 and final seven years later.

Mourning the death, Sister Linda Mary Vaughan, the congregation’s former superior general, credited her vocation with Sister Ekka.

“She is an inspiration for my vocation to be an obedient, holy, poor in spirit and true missionary in the congregation,” she told Matters India May 20.

According to her, Sr Ekka was a simple, chaste, motherly, cheerful, prayerful, and service minded person.

“People of Andaman will miss her very much – her love and laughter,” said Sister Vaughan.

Sister Subhashini Xalxo, the congregation’s Delegate Superior of Andaman Mission, too hailed Ekka as a simple, prayerful, kind hearted, dutiful, a person with positive attitude, farsightedness. “She was ever ready to help the people in need, a good listener. She tried to be present at people’s sad moments, happy in the joys of people,” she added.

Sister Shivani Ekka, secretary to the current superior general, hailed Sister Ekka as an influential role for modern generation: “Many young girls and boys joined congregations inspired by her life. Her death is a great lose to the congregation.”