Diocese: Udupi
Pioneers: Sisters Epiphania Fernandes and Flora Cornelio
St Anne Convent at Thottam is one of the five convents in Mangalore Province started in 1976. The pioneers arrived at Thottam on May 15, 1976. They resided in a house donated by the parish, which had been donated to it by Mr Minguel Vas, a parishioner. They had a twofold responsibility to fulfil, namely forming the faith of the people and imparting basic education. In meeting the first objective, they catechized, organized liturgical activities in the church and visited families and prayed with them. The second object was fulfilled by managing the St Ann English Medium Nursery School of the parish.
Their teaching apostolate, supposed to have been a means of income, brought in poor returns. Hence in order to procure means of their livelihood, they had to try other ways and means. In view of this, they started a nursery school as well as a tailoring class in 1976 itself in the convent building. They also began
teaching at St Ann Kannada Medium Primary School, a venture of the parishioners of Thottam founded in 1989. The school had to be closed down in 1993 as the number of the students was very low with the parents preferring to send their children to the renowned schools in Udupi. Thereafter, they attempted conducting typing classes in the Convent. All of it was an economic failure, but not their heroism. Under the committed leadership of Sr Lilly Dias, a nursery school was started in 2005 in the Convent; it consisted of pre-nursery, LKG and UKG. As the school made substantial progress, on January 27, 2009, the foundation of the nursery school building was laid and the building inaugurated on December 22, 2009. In relation to this project, the Sisters remember gratefully the financial assistance of two parishioners, namely, Fr Hector D’Souza SJ and Mr Bertrand Vas. They donated two hundred thousands, and fifty thousand rupees respectively. After the transfer of Sr Lilly Dias in 2010 Sr Eulalia Monteiro has been continuing the good work efficiently. As an incentive to children, a children’s park has been set up in the School. The Annual Talents Day of children celebrated at the School has served as a measure for publicity of the school.
The Sisters are active in pastoral activities of the parish. Besides catechizing students and First Communicants, they participate in SCC prayer meetings, visit families of the sick, animate altar servers and Marian Sodality, distribute Communion in the church, attend to the upkeep of the church, and participate in seminars conducted in the parish. They have contributed a great deal towards the celebration of the platinum jubilee of the parish held on April 24, 2007.
St Ann Community has a few memorable events in its history. We may mention the silver jubilee celebration of the religious profession of Sr Emma Vas on May 25, 1993. On January 6, 1999 the community members woke up to see the sudden demise of Sr Ruth Rodrigues caused due to cardiac arrest. On August 1, 1999 zonal recollection was held at St Anne, during which Sr Claudia Tauro conducted sessions on Liturgical Prayer. On September 15, 1999 the ‘come and see’ programme for aspirants to the Ursuline Franciscan way of life was arranged here at zonal level. In 1991 Sisters were glad to step into a new house with more amenities after having lived for fifteen years in a rickety structure. The good work of the Sisters continues to impact people, children and parishioners.
