Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kathmandu (Fides Service) - Despite the difficult situation in Nepal where peace has yet to be restored, the local Church community, 7,500 Catholics among a population of 27 million mainly Hindus, carries on with life as usual and recently celebrated two important anniversaries: the 10th anniversary of the consecration of the parish church of the Assumption in the capital Kathmandu and 25 years of service in Nepal of the Sisters Missionaries of Charity.
The church of the Assumption consecrated in 1995 by Cardinal Josef Tomko, at that time Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, is a point of reference for Catholics in the capital Kathmandu. Various events were organised to celebrate the 10th anniversary including a special Mass celebrated by Apostolic Pro-Prefect, Fr. Pius Perumana attended by about one thousand people. The parish also issued a special anniversary leaflet with a photograph of the church and a description of Catholic activities and services in Nepal.
The second anniversary the 25 years of service of the Missionaries of Charity, the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, was marked with Mass in the chapel of the convent in Kathmandu presided by Bishop Anthony Sharma prefect apostolic of Nepal in the presence of over 100 women religious, Missionaries of Charity and Sisters from other institutes. Sr Mary Leslie, Superior of the Missionaries of Charity in Nepal, recalled how the first Sisters came in 1980 to open a small home to care for the terminally ill and the poorest of the poor. Later two more homes were opened, one in Kathmandu for the elderly in need and the other, a house of prayer, in Pokahara. Sr Lesile recalled that when Mother Teresa came to visit the community in Nepal she washed and fed some of the sick herself. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 7/9/2005 righe 26 parole 215)
