By Purushottam Nayak
Raikia, Dec 1, 2023: The Daughters of Charity congregation has celebrated the platinum Jubilee of its presence in Odisha state’s Kandhamal.
“Hundreds of students have built their future through St. Catherine’s Schools at Raikia,” managed by the congregation, said Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in his homily during the jubilee Mass on November 28.
The Divine Word prelate also commended the nuns for taking care of orphans and serving the community with dedication and commitment. “Local sick people get treatment at the hospital run by the sisters, who also do pastoral work in villages,” he added.
Sister Martha Pradhan, head of the congregation’s North India province expressed the congregation’s gratitude to God “who constantly accompanied us for the past 75 years of our missionary service in Kandhamal.”
She acknowledged former prelates, priests, nuns and lay people who have helped in their efforts to serve the least, lost and last.
Archbishop Barwa said the pioneering nuns had braved great challenges and inconveniences to set up Catherine’s House at Raikia. “Today we see the fruits of their sacrifice, service and love,” he said and added: “Let this congregation grow in love, service, dedication, commitment and sacrifice.”
Former provincial Sister Grace Moolan said every member of her congregation strives to follow the footsteps of their founders Saints Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac.
The congregation, also known as “company of the Daughters of Charity,” was founded in 1633 in France by St. Vincent de Paul, patron of all works of charity, and St. Louise de Marillac (1591-1660), patroness of Christian social workers.
“We are happy to render our service to God and His people through education, pastoral work, and healthcare,” said Sister Maria Goretti, the superior of Catherine’s House at Raikia.
Luhran Sabhasundar, the oldest retired Catholic teacher of the parish, said the sisters’ presence at Raikia is a light to the region. “We thank the Lord for sending the sisters to our region who are active and involved whole heartedly running the schools, the orphanage, the hostel for the remote poor girls, the hospital for the patients with minimum cost,” said the 93-year-old man.
At present, the congregation has 60 provinces with 16,701 members in 95 countries. They arrived in India on February 12, 1940. The first house (Sacred Heart House) was opened at Gopalpur-On-Sea, in Berhampur, another diocese in Odisha.
The mission started with four Spanish nuns – Sisters Paz Gracia, Adelaida Biada, Angelina Beramendi and Milagros del Vall.
Later in 1952, India became a vice-province and a province in 1965.
It was bifurcated in 2000 as North and South Indian Provinces. The North India province has 41 centers in nine states, 256 members, 50 sisters are from Kandhamal and the South India province has 26 houses in six states.