Sr M Saritha BS
Superior
Members of the Community
Convent building
Marian Sodality
Educational ministry
Teaching Catechism
Bethany Lay Association
Pastroral ministry
Lisieux Convent has the distinction of being the first branch house of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany as well as the first mission station during the year 1925. It was at the pressing invitation from Rev. Fr. Joseph Aloysius Rodrigues, the parish priests of Mother of God Church, Puttur to Rev. Fr Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas, the Founder of Bethany, to teach in the newly established St Francis Xavier Boys’ School of his parish. Accordingly, three Sisters viz. Sr Lourdes, Sr Margaret and Sr Anne willingly agreed to work in this new place. On Friday the 29th May 1925 these three Sisters left Bethany at 6.15 am and proceeded to Puttur along with the Superior General Rev Mother Martha and Rev Fr RFC Mascarenhas.
On the same day at 5.30 pm the rented house was blessed and Sr Lourdes was installed as superior and Sr Margaret as local procurator of the community. Sr Anne being a teacher was to assist the Head Mistress in St Francis Xavier Boys School. The house was named ‘Lisieux Convent’ under the patronage of St Therese of the Child Jesus who was canonized in the year 1925.
The foundation for the convent building was laid on 14th September 1926. The new house was blessed on 6th January 1927, the feast of Epiphany. Among the pioneering Sisters who have been the life of Lisieux Convent in her infancy are Sr Clare, Sr Gertrude, Sr Catherine, Sr Anne, Sr Teresa, Sr Louise, Sr Xavier, Sr Berchmans, Sr Concepta, Sr Gabriel, Sr Annunciata, Sr Stanislaus, Sr Placid and Sr Nevis. Among the pioneers of Bethany Congregation Sr Gertrude, a very zealous missionary, who served in this mission station and continued her missionary activities among the Tulu Christians, stands out.
When a need for the education of girls was felt in the locality, a second school ‘Little Flower Girls Elementary School’ Kurnadka Puttur was opened in 1927. The two schools, one started by Fr Joseph Aloysius Rodrigues for boys in 1924 and the Little Flower Girls Elementary School got recognition by the Government in1931. Soon after, the school got permission to upgrade, it added higher primary classes. It was a historic event when both these schools were amalgamated in 1985 and raised to a higher level and named ‘Little Flower Higher Primary School’.
On 4th January 2004, the school celebrated its Platinum Jubilee under the able leadership of Sr Arun Savio and the encouragement & strong support from Sr Wilberta, the Secretary of the Bethany Educational Society. During this year computer education was introduced at Little Flower Higher Primary School.
Since a need for an English medium school was felt by the local people Sr Inviolata, the Provincial Superior opened Bethany Primary school on 1st June 2005. In 2006 the Bethany Primary school was upgraded to VII standard. And now it has continued up to SSLC.
At present there are twelve sisters in Lisieux Convent under the able leadership of Sr M Saritha BS. They serve in the locality by visiting the sick and the lonely, teaching catechism to the students in the school, Sunday Catechism in the neighbouring parishes of Puttur, Maril, Nidpalli, Uppinangadi and Shambur, preparing the first communicants, attending Small Christian Community Meetings, directing the Marian Sodalities and women’s league. They actively participate both in pastoral and educational apostolate.
Superiors:
1. Sr M Lourdes BS 2. Sr M Margaret BS
3. Sr M Louise BS 4. Sr M Berchmans BS
5. Sr M Sylvia BS 6. Sr M Louise BS
7. Sr M Berchmans BS 8. Sr M Bernard BS
9. Sr M Prudence BS 10. Sr M Pauline BS
11. Sr M Raphael BS 12. Sr M Flavia BS
13. Sr M Pauline BS 14. Sr M Imelda BS
15. Sr M Agnetta BS 16. Sr M Leoba BS
17. Sr M Honoratha BS 18. Sr M Emerita BS
19. Sr M Bertina BS 20. Sr M Shubha BS
21. Sr M Sybil BS 22. Sr M Therese Sequeira BS
23. Sr M Helen Mary 24. Sr M Sunil BS
25. Sr Loyoline BS
Present Superior: Sr M Saritha BS
Year of establishment: 29.05.1925