15. Soeurs de Bethanie, THIES - Senegal

 

Sr Mary Jeena Kurian
Superior

 

Members of the community

 Convent Building with the Sisters

 

The 182^nd community of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, the 15th house of the Delegation Abroad came in to existence on the 15^th September 2017 on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows in Grand Thialy in the diocese of Thies, Senegal.  The community of Soeurs de Béthanie  was canonically erected by Sr Rose Celine, the Superior General of the Congregation in the presence of Mgr André Gueye the Bishop of the diocese of Thies, Sr Shanthi Priya the General Councillor, many priests, Bethany’s friends from Mauritania and Saint Louis and a good number of parishioners from Grand Thialy. The members of this new community viz: Sr Jeena Kurian, Sr Molly Anna and Sr Maria Pushpam, the members represent Bethany in Thies and serve God first and foremost through their witnessing presence and through pastoral, medical and education ministries to the people around.

It was in 2014 when the Episcopal conference of the Bishops of Senegal and Mauritania Mgr André Gueye, the Bishop of Thiés, seeing the vibrant and dynamic presence of all the Bethany sisters gathered in Nouakchott said : “Sisters, I want you in my diocese”. Thereafter, the Bishop kept contact with the Bethany Sisters.

In 2015 Sr Lillis, the Asistant Superior General, and Sr Christine, the Procurator General, visited Mgr André Gueye in Thiès  during their canonical visitation  to the communities in West Africa. The following year Sr Blecilla, Sr Jossy Maria and Sr Anita Martis, the Delegation Councillors too visited the Bishop and kept in touch with this new project. After these meetings  opening of a house in Thies was seriously envisaged.

Finally during the canonical visitation to the Delegation Abroad by the Superior General - Sr Rose Celine, assisted by Sr Shanthi Priya, the General councillor, this dream of opening of another house in Senegal was realized.

The pioneers of this community- Sr Jeena, Sr Molly Anna and Sr Maria Pushpam are engaged in the pastoral ministry of the diocese. Sr Jeena Kurian is teaching in the diocesan school –College  Saint Gabriel run by the Mountfort Brothers. Sr Molly Anna and Sr Maria Pushpam are rendering their service  in the Saint John of God Hospital.  Promotion of vocations to the Church and particularly to Bethany is also one of the thrusts of this community.