14. Bethany Convent, Biratnagar, Nepal

 

 Community Members

 School Building

 

 

Sisters in the School

 

 

Eucharistic Celebration

 

Bethany opened its new 185th Branch House in a new country this time in our neighbouring country Nepal, on Sunday the 17th June 2018, as was planned.  Thank you for giving us the Decree of Erection and for your blessings and prayers.  I thank all the Councillors for their support in various ways.

Sequence of events:
Sr Ordilia, Sr Rincy the Superior designate and Sr Jessyna Khonglah started their journey from Guwahati accompanied by Sr Edleburgh the Provincial Councillor on 8th June 2018.  They left by Rajdhani Express ap to New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Station.  There, Fr Mani SDB, who was instrumenteal in leading Bethany to Biratnagar in Nepal came to receive them.  [SDB’s Don Bosco Technical Centre is close to our place].  They proceeded to the Nepal  Border known as Pani Tanki and loaded Sisters’ luggage on to his Jeep.
It is narrated that each packet/ box Fr Mani loaded on to his jeep went with his words “Let this box/ bag remain in Nepal forever”!!!.

They arrived at Don Bosco in the evening of the same day and were warmly welcomed by Fr George Kalapurackal, the Parish Priest who is also the Dean of East Nepal Deanery and and Fr Amrit Raj the Principal of the School.  Sisters were put up in Father’s house and they had their meals with them until the 18th of June 2018.  Fathers were very welcoming and treated the Sisters well, like the members of their family.  The Sisters were introduced to the School community in the School assembly and it was a moving experience to the Sisters.   Sisters’ first day at School was on 10th which was a Sunday.  Nepal has Saturday as their weekend day and Sunday is a working day for them. Ssisters started attending School from  10th onwards.  

Sisters under the leadership of Sr Edleburgh began to get ready one wing of the 2nd floor of the School building given for  their residence for occupation.

Sr Joy Provincial Superior and Sr Mary Diki Provincial Councillor arrived in Biratnagar on 16th June coming from Kolkata by train and arrived at Jogbani Rly Stn which is very close to Biratnagar.  The final preparations for Inauguration were made on 16th and 17th.

On 17th Evening Bishop Paul Simick of Nepal arrived from Kathmandu driving for over 10 hours.  It was very encouraging to see all the neighbouring Priests and Sisters, and a small Catholic Lay community present in full strength, about 60 people in all.  The Celebration commenced with the Holy Eucharist with Bishop and 9 concelebrants.  There was music and the Eucharistic celebration was solemn.

After the Gospel reading, Sr Joy the Provincial Superior read the Decree of Erection of the Community in Nepal given by the Superior General Sr Rose Celine. While reading the Decree the 3 Community Members stood in front.   People present were touched by the Decree.
Before the final blessing, the ceremony of installation of the Superior was conducted – reading of the letter of appointment and giving of the symbols – the Bible, Book of Constitutions and the Keys.  After the Mass many mentioned that it was a beautiful and moving ceremony.

What was special during this Liturgical celebration was the Word of God given to us.  Sunday’s Readings were kept up by the Bishop.  However, by divine Providence the readings, specially the first reading was wonderfully appropriate to the occasion – which reminded to us of our beloved and revered Founder and the whole of Bethany.

Ezek 17:22-24:   The Lord Yahweh says this:
            From the top of the cedar,
            From the highest branch I will take a shoot
            And plant it on the high mountain of Israel,
            It will sprout branches and bear fruit,
            And become a noble cedar……….

I truly felt that the Lord was doing this – taking a shoot (twig) from the cedar Bethany and plant in on the high mountain, the Himalayas.  His promise will surely be fulfilled in Nepal, making this sapling sprout branches and bear fruit and become a noble Cedar.

After the Mass, there was a felicitation programme. Bishop expressed his happiness in having one more new religious congregation in his Vicariate.  Sr Joy presented a brief Story of Bethany through the power point.  All gathered were very happy to know the history of Bethany.
All present shared in the fellowship meal.  We, particularly the Sisters already felt the beginning of a meaningful presence in Biratnagar in Nepal.

On the follwing day all of us were welcomed in the Teachers’ Assembly and in the School Assembly.  Sisters have already begun to feel one with the School community.  They have begun to visit families and get to know the neighbours.  No doubt the Lord will bless this Branch house, with the intercession of our Founder the SD and our founding Sisters and the prayers of one and all.

Our heartfelt thanks to our dear Superior General, to the Councillors and all the Sisters who prayed for us.  It was indeed a beginning of a new journey for Bethany in a new Country.