25. Bethany Convent, Badyar

 

 

Sr M Janet BS
Superior

Members of the Community

Convent building

Medical Apostolate

Fr Founder Mgr RFC Mascarenhas’ clarion call for compassionate love of the poor especially the underprivileged in the rural areas and a similar call from Rev Fr Gerald Lobo gave a start to the opening of the Bethany Convent in the rural area of Badyar on 1st June 1983 with the blessings of the Bishop Most Rev Dr Basil S D Souza.  Italian Jesuit Rev. Fr Gaviraghi SJ had started this mission station at Badyar.  Badyar is 63 km away to the east of Mangalore in Belthangady Taluk and 4.4 km to the north of Belthangady town. On the route from Mangalore to Dharmastala there is a junction called Guruvayanakere and from this junction 2.2 km to the north is Badyar. Rev Mother Sylvine, the Superior General and Sr Verena the Procurator General arrived at Badyar with Sr Ena and Sr Roshel who were to form the first community at Badyar. Sr Ena a trained nurse was set apart for medical and social work and Sr Roshel for teaching in the school. She joined the duty on 1st June 1983.

A new school building of the parish was inaugurated by Most Rev Basil S DSouza, Bishop of Mangalore, on 1st November 1983.
Dr Norman Mendonca joined them to render the medical services at LM Pinto Health Centre on 22nd December 1984. Fr LM Pinto Health Centre was inaugurated by Bishop Basil S DSouza. Sr Lucian joined the community as a social worker. Canara Organization for Development & Peace, Mangalore took care of this Centre for eight years. Fr Muller’s Hospital Kankanady took over this Centre on request, in September 1989 with the main objective of providing comprehensive health care to the people of 10 neighboring villages.

The foundation stone for the convent building was laid by Mother Sylvine, the Superior General on 12th September 1986.
Sr Agnella the Superior General inaugurated the operation theatre and the maternity block.

The Sisters make family visits frequently. The cordial relationship that was built by the pioneers is still maintained by the sisters through their participation in Small Christian Community meeting and prayer services on various occasions. They visit the Tulu Christians regularly.  Sr Agnesia and Sr Lucian have helped the people to form Mahila Mandals.  At present, the Dharmastala scheme members are involved in the formation of self-help groups.  Thus the sisters show a special presence for the needy, irrespective of caste and creed and contribute significantly to the health of the rural poor.
The list of the Superiors who served the Convent;
 
Sr M Ena BS, Sr M Therese Sequeira BS, Sr M Benignus BS, Sr M Carita BS, Sr M Leoba BS, Sr M Sunil BS, Sr M Clarita BS, Sr M Vitalis BS, Sr M Jyothsna  BS  and Sr M Shubha BS.

Present Superior: Sr M Janet Rego

Year of Establishment:12.05.1984