By Sujata Jena
Bhubaneswar, Nov 26, 2025: The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy (SJA), Bhubaneswar Province, on November 26 elected a new provincial team, with Sister Justine Gitanjali Senapati as the provincial.
Sister Senapati makes history as the first Odia provincial of the congregation. She is the daughter of a tribal mother and a Dalit father—an identity she describes as central to her vocation and worldview.
The newly constituted council includes Sisters Divya Jithuka as assistant provincial, Maria Selvam Micheal, Imelda Francis, and Vijaya Nirmala as councillors. Sisters Shiny Joseph takes charge as procurator, and Subhashree Baliarsingh as secretary.
“When I first received news of my appointment, I experienced a mix of emotions—gratitude, hesitation, hope, and trust,” Sister Senapati told Matters India. She said she felt humbled.
“I found myself praying in silence, asking the Lord to steady my heart. In that quiet moment, I sensed God inviting me not to rely on my own abilities but to place everything—my strengths and my limitations—into His hands. I am proud of my mixed background, which has shaped my commitment to faith, justice, and inclusion,” she added.
A lawyer and human rights advocate, Sister Senapati previously served for five consecutive years as the congregation’s representative to the United Nations. She was also a provincial councillor in the Bhubaneswar Province and has completed 27 years of religious life.
Looking back on her ministry, she recalled her early years spent in catechetical work in the interior villages of Andhra Pradesh, teaching in slum schools in Odisha, mentoring young girls and women religious as a formator, coordinating the province’s justice and peace ministry, and serving as Secretary of the Women’s Commission in the Archdiocese of Cuttack–Bhubaneswar.
The 375-year-old Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy trace their roots to Jesuit Father Jean Pierre Medaille. Today, its members serve across five continents and form one of the 43 worldwide congregations of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
The congregation has two provinces in India – Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar. The Bhubaneswar province was bifurcated from Visakhapatnam in 2002.
The Bhubaneswar province is spread across 14 dioceses in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Kerala, Manipur, Tripura, and Assam. It includes 151 professed members living in 23 communities, actively engaged in ministries of education, healthcare, social outreach, and pastoral service.
Congratulations to the sisters of this province to select an odia nun for the leadership
It’s time that other congregations with great number of odia religious to select the leadership from odisha.
It’s strange that many Congratulations get vocations from odisha but are unwilling to give them the leadership at least in the institutions in odisha.
Congratulations to the sisters of Annecy for their broadmindedness. Truly they can be proud of this decision.
Hope other Congregations will also.. .
Heartfelt congratulations to Sister Justine Gitanjali Senapati and the newly elected provincial team of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy, Bhubaneswar Province.
This moment is historic not only for the congregation but also for the Church in Odisha, as Sister Justine becomes the first Odia provincial—carrying within her the rich tapestry of a tribal mother and a Dalit father, a heritage she has transformed into a prophetic commitment to justice, inclusion, and dignity.
Her words of humility, prayerful surrender, and trust in God reflect the depth of her vocation. Her vast experience—from grassroots catechetical ministry to human rights advocacy at the United Nations—reveals a leader formed both by the struggles of the margins and the responsibilities of the global stage.
The new team brings together sisters with diverse gifts and long-standing service. Their collective leadership promises a renewed thrust in the congregation’s mission of education, healthcare, social empowerment, and pastoral ministry across India’s many regions.
May the Holy Spirit guide Sister Justine and her council as they lead with courage, compassion, and fidelity to the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Wishing them abundant grace as they continue to be instruments of unity, justice, and hope.
Congratulations to Sr. Justin and the Provincial team.Blessings of God on all of you!