Mangalore: Sisters of Charity Celebrate Centenary of their service at Fr. Muller Institutions

By John V. Tauro, Mangalore
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 20 April 2012: The Sisters of Charity celebrated the Centenary (1912-2012) of their service at Father Muller Institutions, Mangalore on Thursday, April 19, 2012 with Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration at 4 pm followed by Felicitation Programme at 5.30 pm.

 

The Felicitation Programme held in Fr. Muller Academy Hall was presided over by Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore. The chief guest of the function was Most Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore and guests of honour included Sr. Matilda Monteiro, Provincila Superior of Sisters of Charity, Mangalore Province, Former Directors of FMC- Rev. Fr. Peter Noronha and Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, Sr. Irene Jane D’Souza, Former Provincial Superior, Sisters of Charity, Mangalore Province and Rev Fr. Ronnie Prabhu S.J., Episcopal Vicar of Religious.

 

The function began with the prayer dance followed by a documentary on the service rendered by Sisters of Charity in Fr. Muller Institutes for the past century followed by the Jubilee Chorus. Thereafter Rev. Sr. Sylvia Fernandes exhorted the dignitaries to take their seats on the dais.

 

Rev. Fr. Patrick Rodrigues, Director of FMC welcomed the guests and the gathering. This was followed by honouring Superiors, Nursing Superintendents and Principals by Rev. Sr. Matilda Monteiro who also gave her message on this occasion. The Papal blessing was readout and it was handed over to  Superior Rev. Sr. Irene Jane D’Souza. Former Provincial, Rev. Sr. Irene Jane D’Souza honoured  Sisters of Charity.

 

 

Dr. Nanda Kishore, Professor of Dermatology was felicitated  for his service to the institution. Similarly, formers priests were honoured by Rev. Fr. Peter S. Noronha, Former Director of FMC. VIPs were honoured by Rev. Sr. Matilda Monteiro. Benefactors were honoured by Most Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore. He also honoured present priests. In his message, the Archbishop praised the service rendered by the Sisters of Charity in Fr. Muller Institutions.

 

Following the release of the Centenary Celebration Souvenir, Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius D’Souza honoured the provincials. In his presidential address, Bishop Aloysius D’Souza highlighted the contribution of Sisters of Charity in health care and the growth of Fr. Muller Institutions.

 

Rev. Sr. Sylvia Fernandes proposed the vote of thanks following which the Institution Anthem was sung. This was followed by the cultural programme titled ‘Seva Sankalpa’.

 

The year 1898 was a year of grace in the annals of the history of the Sisters of Charity founded by Sts. Bartholomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa. It was that year when four courageous Italian Missionary Sisters set foot on the soil of Mangalore and planted  the precious sapling of the institute.

 

St. Vincent’s Convent is an integral part of  Fr. Muller Hospital and it has played an important part in the ministry of healing and comforting the sick and the suffering as well as in sharing professional knowledge and skills to the nursing students of Fr. Muller Hospital.

 

Fr. Augustine Muller S.J. who had come to Mangalore with the first band of Jesuits planned to put his medical knowledge  to practical use  by serving the unfortunate people affected by leprosy and other tropical diseases. He opened a dispensary at St. Aloysius College and later shifted it to its present location, where it has grown  into the present Ff. Muller Charitable Institutions.

 

It was at the suggestion of Fr. Muller that the then Bishop of Mangalore Msgr. Abundius Cavodini S.J., that the Sisters of Charity from Italy come to render service at the leprosy hospital at Kankanady. The first four courageous Sisters were Sr. Fiorenza, Sr. Alessandrine, Sr. Maddalena Maneghetti with Sr. Franceschina Luraschi as Superior of the Community.
Though they started caring for the leprosy patients, they could not continue their service as the Sisters had the difficulty in speaking English and Konkani and their services were dispensed with in August 1898.

 

The Sisters were once again called back to take up the apostolate of caring for the sick at Fr. Muller’s in 1912 and a different group of Sisters rendered their services in the hospital and thus the association of the Sisters of Charity continued to grow since the last one century.