Diocese: Bellary
Pioneers: Sisters Petronilla D’Silva and Sheela Mary
The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters arrived at Pothnal of Bellary in Karnataka on May 23, 2005 in response to the invitation of late Joseph D’Silva, Bishop of Bellary Diocese. Pothnal village is in the Manvi taluk of Raichur district. It is well connected by road and it lies on Karnantaka State Highway. It is 26 kms from Manvi and 20 kms from Sindhanur. Besides being a drought- prone district, Raichur is known for maladies such as unemployment, illiteracy, ignorance, superstitious beliefs and practices, caste system, child labour and therefore poverty in all forms. Superstitious beliefs and practices along with oppression by the mighty restrict the people of this area to the periphery of society. Pothnal is surrounded by 15 remote villages.
Sisters Petronilla D’Silva and Sheela Mary arrived at Pothnal as pioneers. They were accommodated by the Capuchin Friars, who have been rendering their services in the area since May 19, 1994. Two rooms in the boarding house of children turned out to be their temporary residence until their convent was ready on April 3, 2006. The new convent building along with a hostel for children has been put up in a plot of two acres of land which is bought from the Friars; the Friars have gifted another acre of land to the Sisters.
The Sisters offer assistance to the Capuchin Friars in the field of education; the school was started in 2005. It is a matter of pride to the Sisters that the school caters to the children of economically backward families and of schedule caste. In order to reach out to children more effectively, Anugraha, boarding house for girl children has been put up. The aid offered in this regard by Fr Patrick Langue SJ and the French Students calls for a special mention in the history of the Congregation. They offer not merely financial assistance; they also put in physical labour in constructing the building. A religious unit named Holy Childhood finances partially education of the boarding children. Currently the boarding house accommodates sixty children.
Besides teaching in the school, the Sisters involve themselves in health ministry: they provide mobile health service to several villages. They also catechize, offer value education and train students in yogâsanas. Pothnal is known for extreme weather conditions. The Sisters have withstood severe heat of Pothnal in carrying out their mission for God’s people.
