By Felix Anthony
Guwahati, Dec 10, 2022: The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco of Guwahati province has launched the centenary celebration of their arrival in northeastern India with a shrine dedicated to St. Mary Domnica Mazzarello, their co-founder at St. Mary’s Convent in Guwahati, Assam.
Leading the December 8 function, Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati said, “I join with you to thank God for his blessings upon you and I congratulate you for your presence and for the 100 years of selfless service to North East India in so many ways.”
Six pioneers from Italy led by Sister Innocenza Vallino, arrived in Guwahati on December 8, 1923, and began their educational mission in a dilapidated cottage in the premises of Don Bosco, Pan Bazar, Guwahati.
Other pioneers were Sisters Giulia Berra, Maria Bricarello, Clotilde Appiano, Antonietta Rosetti and Cecilia Da Roit from Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, who are formally known as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA).
Acknowledging the contribution of the sisters to the region, the archbishop said, “Your presence here has not been without difficulties. Financial constraints, rampant epidemic, dire poverty, inclement weather condition, dearth of personnel, you have seen it all and you have come a long way.”
To mark this historical event, the sisters raised a new chapel to the status of shrine and dedicated to St. Mary Domnica Mazzerllo, who founded the congregation together with St. Don Bosco on August 5, 1872. “A part of the chapel is sponsored by our past pupils who are doctors now,” said Provincial Sister Alphonsa Kurisingal.
Declaring the chapel as shrine in a concelebrated solemn Mass, the archbishop said, “May we prayerfully honor this place and may it bring people closer to God.”
The superiors from their 38 centers across the region sang a hymn of gratitude and their novices presented a play on St. Mary Mazzarello at the felicitation ceremony.
Apart from education ministry, the sisters serve in the holistic formation of youth, women and children with evening schools for neighbourhood and domestic workers, coaching centers, vocational training centers, oratories and youth centers, Child Friendly Guwahati initiative, neighborhood children’s parliament, and hostel and boarding houses.
They also manage rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and HIV patients, homes for street children, literacy program centers, computer centers, family and prison ministry, village apostolate, pastoral service, self-help groups, environmental care and networking across the region.
Expressing joy over the celebration, Sister Monica Sana working in Namphai mission in Arunachal Pradesh said, “Thousands of students who have passed through the portals of our institutions stand stall in society today. It is a testimony to our contribution and we thank God for it.”
Together with Shillong province, as many as 617 Salesian sisters work in the region, and 54 are in noviciates.
“The inauguration of the centenary year is propitious occasion for every Salesian sister to continue to live her identity as an educator of young people with renewed enthusiasm after the Heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd for the realization of God’s plan and the dream of our founders Sts. Don Bosco and Mary Mazzarello” said Sister Lydia Komuhra.