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Daughters of Mary Immaculate Marianists – Ranchi (India)

No. 12 September 2010

Communication No. 12 - “Shanti Deep” & “Natzareth Nilaya” Communities Ranchi, September 2010

Dear Sisters and Friends: After vacation break, here we are once again to share with you what we have lived during the summer months in our communities in Ranchi-India. Classes here finish early, the novices at the end of March and the postulants at the end of April. Then we begin the month with the First Profession, of nine SM Marianist novices on May l. In the middle of the month we had our “Come and See” vocational meeting to which participated a good number of young women. In the same month, from the middle to the end, the pre-novices and novices participated in a camping trip for the REDS students. For the first time they had more than 70 adolescents at a camping trip outside of Ranchi. They went to Singhpur, where the Marianist brothers, have a school. Those responsible for preparing it were the teachers of REDS with the Brother-in-charge and our novices. The experience was not easy because these adolescents are not accustomed to discipline, but the experience was very positive for everyone. It was the first time that a camping trip with these characteristics had been done. All of them returned very happy.

Distribution of food Camp opening Chameli teaching Yoga

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At the end of the month, the pre-novices and candidates when to visit their families and the two novices had an experience during the month in one of the houses of the Missionaries of Charity, of the Sisters of Teresa of Calcutta. Ranchi was the first foundation that the Missionaries of Charity had outside of Calcutta. It was also a good experience for the novices. During this time, Sr. Columba and Sr. Teresa Ferre visited their families in their respective countries. Sr. Columba returned to welcome the new candidates that were integrated at the end of June. This year there are 12 new candidates from four states of India: Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa. The seven candidates beginning the pre-novitiate this year also returned. All of them made their promises at the end of June before Sr. Columba traveled to participate in the international meeting of “Horizons” in Bordeaux.

At the same time, the pre-novices returned to begin the novitiate and Sr. Teresa Vichatt began her second year of theology at the seminary in Ranchi. At the beginning of July, Sr. Teresa Ferre returned from the visit in Spain accompanied by Sister Clotilde Fernández del Pozo, who lived with us for a month, giving English classes to the novices and talks on our Founder Adele to novices and pre-novices. She also gave guitar lessons to the two second year novices, lessons which Sr. Laura Leming had begun with them when she was here. Clotilde went back at the beginning of August after giving great service to our young women, for which we are very grateful.

The candidates and pre-novices at the time of their promises

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English & Guitar classes and a farewell photo

In July, English and computer classes started in our EYES Center. For this course a teacher has been contracted for English and classes of information systems during the year. The center continues to function with the cutting and sewing classes, and the elaboration of incense and candles, the computer class and of course the dispensary, that primarily attend the families of REDS.

In early August, Sr. Franca Zonta and Sr. Teresa Ferre went on retreat with the first and second year novices at Nirmal Deep, the Novitiate of the brothers. On August 15, Assumption Day at Lauds, five young women made their promises at the novitiate. Actually, there are two second year novices and five first year novices.

Tailoring Center, Left Making incense Right

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Novices 2nd year

Novices first year

During the Mass on retreat. Left

The Novitiate community, the new novices with the floral lei. (left.Sr Tere, Ana, Sunita,Prabha,Asrita,Pasca, Sr. Theresa, Sr. Juliana, Chameli; kneeling Reena & Pratibha in yellow)

On August 30 we started the formal classes together with the SM novices, having two days of classes in common. During this month, we were visited by our Indian sister, Elizabeth Kadamthottu who lives in Rome. Since she is a nurse, she visited the centers of REDS and with our nurse from the dispensary she gave check-ups to the children. This semester, the nurse will come regularly each month to the centers since some have difficulty traveling to where we are located. It was a good experience for her.

During her visit to REDS is our Sr. Elizabeth with the nurse from EYES

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On August 22, in Nirmal Deep SM Novitiate, the Marianist Family gathered in Jharkhand, FMI, SM, MLC, to celebrate the renewal of vows of our Sisters Celina and Teresa and the 25th Jubilee year of our Sister Teresa Ferre. It was a lovely family celebration, filled with color and happiness. All the sisters and also the brothers out did themselves in preparing this special celebration, since the jubilee celebrations are not common in India where all the brothers are young. Father Ignatius Arulappen, SM presided at the Eucharist. He is the Director of Novices.

Entrance procession at the renewal of vows and the anniversary of 25 years.

moment at the Eucharist

Sr. Teresa Ferre with Sr. Celina Chittilappili and Sr. Teresa Vichatt. The mission continues its rhythm, the residence we are building is beginning to slowly take shape and form and the dispensary in the rural zone of Singhpur and the community house are also moving forward. It is anticipated to begin the construction of the Center EYES in the property acquired by the congregation in the zone of Lowadi, where a residence for young women is being constructed. From Ranchi we greet you and wish you a fruitful mission in the new semester. Together with the news we send our gratitude for all your support that we continually received, both material and spiritual from the congregation, families, friends and all the people that help us in various ways. That Mary bless you in the mission of making visible her Son in the midst of men and women with whom with work! Marianists Sisters, Ranchi