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01. Ish Kripa, Bethany Provincial House, Karnal Patron of the Province - Sacred Heart of Jesus On 6 January 1961 Bethany Sisters disembarked in the North of India reaching Karnal which was a part of Punjab then. At the inception of Haryana State on 1 November 1966, Karnal was included in it. January 6 is a significant day in the Christian Calendar as it is the feast of Epiphany- a day the three kings from the East paid their homage to Jesus Christ, when He was born in a stable in Bethlehem. It is a day of manifestation. In 1960 Fr Christanand, a priest, besides looking after the spiritual needs of the students who came to the National Dairy Research Centre, was running a Catholic Information Centre in Karnal at 2 D Model Town. He also had started a school at Karnal. He wanted the Bethany Sisters to look after the school and so requested Rt Rev John Burke, the Bishop of Simla to invite Bethany Sisters from Mangalore to North India. Accordingly, the Bishop gave a pressing invitation to Mother Macrina, the Superior General, to open convents in the North. The transactions started on 4 July 1960. While the preliminary arrangements were being made for the sisters to set forth to the North, Fr. RFC Mascarenhas was in his death bed. Yet, very consciously, divinely and with much enthusiasm he extended his paternal blessings to Sr Honoratha and Sr Gemma who had gone to present him the happy news of starting Bethany Mission in the North. He blessed them saying, “Go, my children, go, God will bless you; my blessings and prayers are always with you.” He foresaw that Bethany would rapidly spread to the four corners of the world. Soon on December 23 the holy soul flew to its heavenly abode. Two of the leaders of Bethany Sr Agnella and Sr Verena were in Simla at that time planning the details of Bethany’s Mission in the North with Bishop John Burke, the Bishop of Simla Diocese. The band of Sisters who came to the North consisted of Sr Oliva, Sr Gemma, Sr Genevieve, Sr Florence, Sr Rosalie, Sr Mida, Sr Benilda Sr Benjamine and Sr Rosaline who had to discontinue her service in the North due to ill health. They divided themselves into three groups reaching out to Bathinda in Punjab; Karnal in Haryana, and Mashobra in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Travelling from the south of India to the north in those days was a feat in itself. They braved the hard winter with deep faith in God, pertinacity and steely courage. Thus began the legend of Bethany in the North. Pioneers :
Formation of Region and Province On 1 October 1970 the Northern Region was formed with Sr Genevieve as the first Regional Superior. From 1970 to 1975, Sacred Heart Convent Sarabha Nagar, Punjab, served as the Regional House. From 1975- 1977 it was reverted to St Theresa’s Convent Karnal, Haryana. In 1977 again Ludhiana formed as the Regional House and continued it till 1980. The Regional Superiors were Sr Genevieve (1970-’75), Sr Gemma (1975-’77), Sr Nora(1977-1980) and Sr Canice (1980-1986). From 1980 to 1986, the North and North East Regions were combined. Regional Superiors :
Formation of the Northern Province In 1986, the Silver Jubilee Year of Northern Province, Northern Region was raised to Northern Province with St Theresa’s Karnal as the Provincial House. Sr Wilberta (1986-1993) was the first Provincial Superior. Subsequently Sr Miriam (1993-97), Sr Wilberta (1997-1998), Sr Nora ( 1998-2006) Sr Maria Leena (2006-2014) and Sr Jyoti (2014 to date) became the Provincial Superiors. The present Provincial team consists of Sr Jyoti, Provincial Superior, Sr Jane Chantal, Assistant Provincial Superior, Sr Arpan, Sr Helima and Sr Violet. Sr Gracy D’ Souza is the Province Procurator. Provincial Superiors :
In December 2012 the Northern Province was bifurcated into Eastern and Northern Province making the Province half in its size. The Northern Province spans across the States of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, West Bengal and Union territory of Chandigarh. The diverse culture it embraces is marvelous. Bethany in the North covers the diocese of Jalandhar, Simla-Chandigarh, Bareilly, Dumka, Khandwa, Mangalore, Kolkata and Arch Diocese of Delhi.
Bethany Provincial House, Ish Kripa, Karnal
Provicial and Team Left: Sr M Helima BS, Sr M Sr M Chantal BS, Sr M Jyoti BS, Sr M Arpan BS, Sr M Violet BS Provincialate Community
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