Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Fides ) - The spirit of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta is still very much alive in India, particularly among Catholic women religious who offer dedicated humble service to the poorest of the poor, the sick, the excluded and also disabled persons. At times this service is publicly recognised at the national level.
Recently Sister Merly Tom Kizhakayil, a member of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians received the national ‘award for distinguished service of disabled persons’ 2005. The award was presented by Indian president Abdul Kalam who praised the work of Catholic communities all over the country to care for the most disadvantaged Indians.
Sister Merly trained at the National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped in Mumbai after which she served as Directress of Cathleen College Shillong, the first educational centre for the hearing impaired in Meghalaya. Realising that the majority of deaf children who came to the centre were seven year olds and older, she felt the need to start an intervention programme for younger children to prevent them from becoming disabled. This led to the founding of Ferrando Speech and Hearing Centre at Baranpani near Shillong. The centre provides children with hearing and speech disabilities primary education with the same syllabus as mainstream school pupils.
The work of women religious in India is all the more praiseworthy considering the real threat of anti-Christian attacks by Hindu extremists. Ten years ago a Poor Clare Sister Maria Rani was killed in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The diocese of Indore has opened the diocesan stage of her beatification. Besides Blessed Mother Teresa India can also be proud of Carmelite Sister Eufrasia, affectionately known as Praying Mother, proclaimed Servant of God in 1987 and Venerable in 2002. (Agenzia Fides 13/1/2006 righe 24 parole 245)
