Vatican official applauds Indian nun’s work among migrants

By Matters Indian Reporter

Rome, Sept 4, 2024: A Vatican official has applauded an Indian for her work among migrant and bonded laborers in her country.

“It is indeed a risky task that requires great courage. I admire your bravery,” Sister Christi Thekkumpuram, assistant director of the Catholic Sisters Project of the Migrants and Refugee Section of the Vatican, told Sacred Hearts Sister Sujata Jena when the latter called on the Vatican official on September 3 in the Vatican.

Sister Jena thanked the dicastery for its financial support to a project undertaken by her congregation in India to help migrants. During their hour-long discussion, they shared insights into the project’s progress, achievements, and challenges faced in the field.

Sister Thekkumpuram, a Congregation of Mother Carmel nun from India, commended Sister Jena for her swift action in rescuing a bonded labor family shortly after the project’s inception. She informed Sister Jena that the dicastery has been integrated into the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, reinforcing the Vatican’s comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of vulnerable populations worldwide.

Francesca Dona, a laywoman who serves as the regional coordinator for Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, was also present during the discussion.

Sister Jenai is currently in Rome attending her congregation’s general chapter.

Sujata Jena is a grassroots activist, a freelance journalist, and an advocate, based in the eastern Indian state of Odisha.

The Vatican official was referring to Sister Jena’s successful attempts in July to rescue an Odisha family held in bondage in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

Sister Jena heard about their plight while conducting an awareness program for migrant workers in Odisha’s Gajapati district.

On her return to Bhubaneswar, Odisha capital, Sister Jeana appealed to the Labour Commissioner of Karnataka and got the family released.

Although the bonded labour system was abolished in 1975, many are still held as bonded laborers in various parts of the country, Sister Jena then said.

Sister Jena came to light in 2020 with her attempts to reach out to poor migrant laborers stranded in various parts of India because of the second wave of Covid attack.

Her initiative helped hundreds of such people to reach their native place. She said she was moved by the report about migrants traveling risking their lives. She stepped in after the failure of state and federal governments in tackling the migrants’ issue.

She was conferred with the Salvador Memorial Award 2022 by Bombay Catholic Sabha in the category of individual who has contributed significantly to the field of social work.

She is the recipient of the Best Journalist Award 2021 by the Indian Catholic Press Association for authentically and consistently being the voice of people’s rights, especially of the marginalized community.