Media Release
Vijayawada, October 21: On October 1, the feast day of St Theresa of Child Jesus, the patroness of the missions, a significant ceremony of the apostolic sending to distant mission countries and perpetual profession of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate (Nirmala Sisters) took place. This was during the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Vijayawada.
The Mission mandate was given to Sr Francisca Seelam and Sr Vinitha Veedhi to the Church of Papua New Guinea in the continent of Oceania, Sr Jhansee Tagaram to Guinea Bissau in the continent of Africa, Sr Josephine Vimala Soosai Raj to Bangladesh and Sr Pavani Mathangi to Hong Kong-China in the continent of Asia.
Sr Jyothi Sali and Sr John Reena Kanikkai Raj made their perpetual profession, during the same Solemn Eucharistic celebration offering their lives to God and for His mission for ever.
Bishop of Vijayawada, Dr Joseph Raja Rao Thelegathoti SMM, along with 20 priests solemnised the Holy Eucharist, imparting God’s blessings and praying for the sisters so that they may be faithful to their vocation and mission.
Bishop Raja Rao stated that it was a day of great rejoicing for the local church of Vijayawada. In his homily, he explained the meaning of the three vows and their relationship to the life of Christ, their bridegroom. The Bishop further invited them to emulate the heroic examples of lives of Saints Francis Assisi, Mother Theresa of Calcutta, Ignatius of Loyola and Montfort. He presented the life of St Paul, a great missionary, as a model and source of inspiration for the departing missionaries when they face challenges of a missionary life in the far off countries for the love of Christ.
After the homily, Sr Jyothi and Sr John Reena pronounced their final vows expressing their aspiration and readiness to follow Christ more closely and proclaim the Gospel to the people, and received the ring as a visible sign of the covenant that binds them eternally to Christ, the Apostle of the Father.
The Holy Bible was given to them as the symbol of the MSI Charism for the proclamation of the Good News. Sr Amala Rani Swamikkannu, the Provincial Superior of Vijayawada Province officially declared them to be the permanent members of the congregation.
Sisters assigned to the missions were given a crucifix as an inseparable companion of their apostolic work, their protection in dangers and difficulties, their comfort in life and death.
In the name of the local Church, they were entrusted the Gospel, the Good News of joy and salvation to proclaim it with their life, to translate it into the language of the people whom they will come in contact with in their mission land. The parting missionaries made a public act of offering of their life to God for the mission through a prayer which was composed by Blessed John Mazzucconi, the first martyr of PIME, which he recited on the occasion of the first group of PIME Missionaries leaving for Oceania in 1852.
A good number of family members and relatives of the sisters, religious priests and nuns from nearby communities and parishioners witnessed the solemn ceremony and prayed for the sisters.
The Bishop congratulated the sisters for their courage to commit themselves totally to the missionary service. He promised the prayerful support of the local church so that they may be faithful witnesses to the life and mission of the church wherever they will be sent.
The celebration came to an end with a short felicitation programme followed by a fellowship meal which was held at Nirmala Convent campus.