Diocese: Bombay Archdiocese
Pioneers: Sisters Eulalia Monteiro, Lidwin Fernandes, Lizzy Madavath and Pre-Novice Pramila Lobo (Sr Pramila Lobo of N.E.)
The Ursuline Franciscan Congregation envisaged owning a house for the Congregation in Mumbai. Sr Edilburga Monteiro, Superior General and her team actualized the vision by acquiring a flat in the Akal Co-Operative Society Ltd, Andheri East on October 19, 2001. It has been named Stein Sadan after the founder of the Congregation, Fr Urban Stein. Sr Edilburga inaugurated it and Fr Jude Fernandes SJ, former parish priest of Holy Family Church, Chakala blessed it on June 7, 2002. The first ever house of the Congregation in Mumbai after 115 years of its foundation is indeed a blessing when seen from the perspective of the stop-over it offers to Sisters travelling overseas as well as to the Northern and North-Eastern States of India. Proximity of Stein Sadan to two major travel terminals, namely, Andheri railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway, western line which lies three kilometres to the North of Stein Sadan and the Chatrapathi Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai which is located also about three kilometres to the north of Stein Sadan, justifies the location of Stein Sadan in a prime area of the Mumbai metropolis, Andheri East. Stein Sadan fulfils reasonably requirements of a transit.
In spite of the fact that the house was meant to be a transit, the Sisters did not restrict themselves to chores of hospitality; they involved themselves in social, pastoral, educational and clerical needs of their surroundings. Sr Eulalia engaged herself in visiting the neighbouring slums; slums are striking phenomena of Mumbai, which cannot be ignored by a missionary. Other members of the community offered their service in Holy Family School (HFS) chiefly in area of catechizing pupils. Two years later, the Jesuits offered a teaching post to the Sisters in the HFS. Sr Shaila Gonsalves, a native of Vasai, in Maharashtra was appointed Head Teacher of the Holy Family Primary School in 2004. Sr Alice Serrao joined the community on June 5, 2004. She assumed the pastoral ministry, especially the task of coordinating the SCCs of Chakala parish. In 2005 Sr Philomena Correa replaced Sr Eulalia as the animator of the house. As she had procured a transfer from North-East Province – on account of her ill-health, she could not apostolically be active as she always has been; however, she visited families around Stein Sadan; she also participated in programmes of the parish/zone. In 2008 Sr Philomena was transferred to Mangalore in order to be a member of a new establishment of the North-East Province, i.e., Subodhini at Panir, Mangalore. Sr Shaila returned to her Province (North) in 2006. She was replaced by Sr Jacinta Cutinha of North Province who had returned from African Mission due to her ill-health after serving in the place for two years. Sr Alice is appointed animator since 2008; Sr Jacintha P D’Souza (from the European Region) joined the community in 2008. She is employed in the HFS school office and later in the evening school. When Sr Jacinta Cutinha returned to North Province in 2012, Sr Apoline Pais of Mangalore Provine replaced her.
The Sisters dedicate themselves fully towards the well-being of people – in the parish (of Chakala, Mumbai), in the school, in the chawls. They direct the people especially the women who come with their problems and grievances, to the persons or organizations where justice is worked out for them. Their wholehearted involvement especially in pastoral activities has procured a good name to our Sisters. Amidst commitment of the Sisters to several compassionate activities, has the objective of offering hospitality to Sisters and visitors distorted? The answer to this question should be a clear ‘no’. The Sisters make their services available to everyone who visits them. Besides, by their hospitality, they have achieved an added objective, namely, acquainting the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation in the metropolis of Mumbai.
