India South East - Delegation

Brief history of the Delegation

JOSEPHINE BAKHITA SOUTH EAST INDIA DELEGATION

Brief description  of the  origin of Andhra Mission

In 1988 Province in India was divided in to three. The sisters of The Province of Mary Immaculate, South India desired to extend the Canossian presence to the south eastern states of India. God in His turn was blessing the Province with a good number of  vocations.

The Bishop of Visakhapatnam, Andhrapradesh was extremely happy to invite the Canossian sisters to his Diocese. The Bishop wrote the invitation letter to the Provincial Superior of Mary Immaculate Province South India, Rev M. Bridget Clement. She immediately delegated her councillor Rev. Sr. Maria Choorakal together with a young and vibrant sister, Sr. Gracy Joel. Thus as the memorial of the centenary of the Canossian presence in India the sisters began the first community in Veeraghattam Parish of Visakhapatnam Diocese in the year 1989, with three fervent missionaries Sr. Teresa Antony, Sr. Gracy Joel and Sr. Alice John.

First Council-2010

Andhra mission continued to respond fully to the needs of the poor and flourish under the dedicated service of seven communities. From 8 May 2010 we had made the experience of having a Regional Superior in the person of Sr. Annette Devasia with two councillors, Sr. Maria Choorakal and Sr. Mary Marshal. It was with the purpose of   helping the Provincial Council to take care of one part of the Province in the administration and to ensure the keeping up of the charismatic vitality in the region. Subsequently, sometime in 2012 September, the Delegate Council of the Regional Superior and the two regional councillors were substituted by Sr. Sophie Thomas and Sr. Molly Thomas who were then the   provincial councillors.

Sr. Josephine Nathan & Council 2015

Having taken into consideration the process and structures of the delegation, Mother General and councillors felt the need to develop a structure that would facilitate the journey of the delegation. The structure would comprise of a delegate superior with two councillors, all three residing in Andhra Pradesh itself. This was to guarantee more autonomy in decision making, an adequate care for the sisters, formation and animation. It was decided that even after the restructuring of the governance of Andhra Pradesh – Odisha, it will still remain as a delegation that continues to depend on the Province.

The newly created Delegation of South East India – St. Josephine Bakhita was inaugurated on 11 February 2015 under the leadership of Sr. Josephine Nathan, Sr. Thankam John and Sr. Leena Peter for better administration and animation.

Sr. Teresa Alappat & Council in 2018 – 23

Sr. Daisy Antony and Council in 2024

The South East India Delegation has 10 communities and we reach out in humble service to our people in four dioceses viz. Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Khammam and Berhampur in two states of south east India, Andhrapradesh and Odisha. In Andhrapradesh there are 8 houses and in Odisha two houses. Except the house in Visakhapatnam, all the other houses are situated in very remote rural area. The Delegation has 53 members as professed religious carrying out the mission of Jesus in the footsteps of the Foundress St. Magdalene of Canossa. All our activities carried out, keeping in mind the holistic upliftment  of the poor and downtrodden according to the Gospel values in conformity with the teachings of Jesus.

SOCIAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES: Women empowerment programme started in all the communities and in view of empowering them by providing capacity building programs, literacy for the adults, leadership trainings and promote the women as leaders in the village, conducting meetings and discuss their problems, training in accounts and book keeping, awareness creation among them in their social needs and problems etc. Through these activities we are directly involved with 3500 women and their husbands and children. These activities paved the way for the transformation of their lives. We take care of the orphans, the old and destitute and HIV/AIDS patients. We are also involved in different activities in collaboration with different religious such as Donbosco and Jesuits for the social Activities. Now sisters are engaged with six different women congregations to fight against human trafficking.

ECONOMICAL ACTIVITIES: We focus our attention to the people in their economical development with their participation. We could create in them the habit of savings from the meagreincome; provide skill training, promotion in sales by starting petty shops to do business, rearing milk animals to sell milk to earn a living, etc. We could save them from the clutches of the money lenders. 41 villages have benefited from these income generating activities.

PROMOTION OF EDUCATION AMONG THE POOR: We started English Medium schools in Payakaraopeta & Bathili with the intention of promoting education among the rural poor. We have Non-Formal education especially for the adults in 20-25 villages. We render our service to the Diocesan boarding at Veeraghattam in Srikakulam districts, at Gopalapuram for the tribal students. We render our service in the Diocesan school at Nellipaka in Khammam Diocese. We are conducting free tuition centers in 48 villages in different Mandals and rendering our service to the students on a regular basis. We provide guidance to the school going students from the lower strata of the society to help them in their studies.

PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK– We provide medical assistance to the people of the locality through our Canossa Hospital Veeraghattam, Dispensaries in Bathili, Draksharam, Jubo and Atilima. Mobile Clinic for the rural poor are arranged. We also conduct Health Camps in tribal areas and remote villages every month, Home based care for the HIV/AIDS patients,Care of persons with physical and mental, disability etc. Our hospital is mostly serving and caring for the most poor in the locality and tribal areas.

EVANGELIZATION– The ultimate aim of our entire mission is Evangelization. We make Jesus known and loved through all our apostolate. We visit the families in the areas of our work and help them in to live a good family life. We conduct a prayer service which will ultimately pave the way for bringing peace and harmony in the family. We render our collaboration and cooperation in the Parish activities. We prepare the people and children to receive sacraments, teach catechism in the parishes and substations.

YOUTH MINISTRY – We conduct different programmes for the youth which includes evangelization, empowerment, carrier guidance, educational help, moral assistance etc. We work in collaboration with different religious and organizations.

“The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Labourers Few” (Mt. 9:35-38).Yes, the mission is really vast and the number of sisters are few. But the Canossian presence has made a difference in the lives of the people of Andhra & Odisha. Sisters are reaching out far and wide to make Jesus known and loved.May God be praised for all that He does  in and through our sisters.