Eastern Province News

Saturday, 20th July 2019 was a blessed day for the candidates of Eastern Province when St Joseph’s Candidates Home at Rosa Mystica was inaugurated and blessed. It was not a new building but the existing orphanage building renovated to provide safety and better accommodation with required facilities to the candidates and their directresses.

Almost all Bethany Sisters know that St Joseph’s Orphanage at Rosa Mystica, a home away from home, was started by Msgr RFC Mascarenhas, our Founder in 1939 to provide educational facilities to rural children. This home housed a large number of children in the past years under the guidance of loving and caring wardens who were real mothers to the little ones. The number began dwindling in this Orphanage which lodged as many as 200 to 300 children in good old days.  

When Sr Shaila, the Provincial Superior of Eastern Province, requested Sr Rose Celine, the Superior General, to provide space for her increased number of candidates to pursue their pre-university studies in Mangalore she discerned the need of putting the existing infrastructure to the fullest use. Supported by her Councillors it was decided to shift the orphanage children to TTI Hostel and revamp the building for the use of the formees by preserving the entire heritage structure. The Provincial Superior of Mangalore Province, Sr Cicilia Mendonca and her Councillors fully endorsed the plan. Under the careful supervision of Sr Christine, the Procurator General, Mr Santhosh, the contractor, completed the work within four months with utmost care.

When the holy water was sprinkled rain too lashed down to ensure double blessings. Sr Rose Celine inaugurated the building, Fr Sunny, (Camillian Father) blessed it; Sr Shaila unveiled the statue of St Joseph erected at the entrance. After a meaningful prayer service in the prayer hall, Sr Juliana, Superior, Rosa Mystica Convent, welcomed the guests in a befitting manner with beautiful bouquets of flowers. The Tertians greeted with a lovely dance. With Sr Rose Celine and Sr Christine the presence of the entire Rosa Mystica campus community, Sr Wilberta and some other Sisters added warmth and joy.

Sr Rose Celine while addressing the gathering referred to our Founder’s vision of empowering the rural poor children by starting St Joseph’s Orphanage 80 years ago and paid homage to those Bethany Sisters who being mothers, guided the children to bloom. A good number of them have blossomed as Bethany Sisters. She reminded the candidates to remain faithful to their call, to love the place sanctified by the Founder and holy Bethany Sisters and grow to be holy under the guidance of Sr Hilerian and Sr Sangeeta, their directresses. Further she thanked Mr Santhosh the contractor and the workers for their dedicated service and honoured them with tokens of love and appreciation.
 
Sr Shaila expressed her gratitude to the Superior General and her Councillors for their magnanimity, Sr Christine, the Procurator General for her careful execution of the renovation work, Sr Cicilia Mendonca, Provincial Superior, Mangalore Province for her generosity, Sr Juliana, the Superior of Rosa Mystica Convent and the Sisters, Tertians, Novices and their directresses for their whole hearted support and unbounded love bestowed on the candidates and their directresses. Further she thanked Sr Anita Lydia, Principal, Rosa Mystica PU College, for her guidance in their studies, Sr Lilly D’Souza HM, Rosa Mystica Primary School for providing accommodation in the school for four months and other necessities with love and generosity. Furthermore she blessed the candidates and their formators in their faith journey.

The Tertians under the guidance of Sr Shalet Mendonca and Sr Priya Rose led a meaningful prayer service and compered the programme. The Novices with their directresses Sr Shalet D’Souza and Sr Sonia Dias joined in singing the praises to God. The audience applauded the Superior General and her team for their farsighted vision.
Twenty one Candidates and their directresses were all smiles to enter the remodelled home with a beautiful prayer hall, dormitories and separate rooms for directresses, wardrobe, study, refectory, kitchen and washrooms. Let Bethany grow and bear fruit through us, especially through our young candidates.

Report by
Sr M Hilerian B.S., Directress, Candidates,
Rosa Mystica