Diocese: Mangalore
Pioneers: Sisters Ottilia Pinto, Angeline D’Souza and Margaret D’Souza
The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters arrived at Mogarnad at the invitation of the parishioners and parish priest, Fr Harold Menezes, with a twin objective of teaching at St Anthony Higher Primary School of the parish and assisting the parish priest in pastoral activities. For a start, they resided in a room of the parish school. Impressed by their service and ideal presence, the parishioners gifted them three acres of land, to which the Sisters added an extra acre. The Sisters utilized the land by way of cultivating coconut palms, cashew and fruit trees, vegetables, and jasmine bushes. Their house came to be a reality on May 4, 1979. Fr Herald Menezes was their support and guide in this achievement. He himself supervised the construction of the building.
The St Anthony Higher Primary School made impressive progress ever since the Sisters began administering it. Sr Angeline D’Souza as head teacher of the School ever since 1976, along with the Sisters of her community visited practically every house in and around Mogarnad in the process of upgrading the School to higher primary level. The number kept increasing gradually from 150 to 400. The head teachers of the School, Sisters Angeline D’Souza, Candida Monteiro, Celesta D’Souza, Agnes Fernandes, Emerita Monteiro, Maureen D’Souza and Enet D’Souza strove relentlessly for empowering their pupils not merely academically but spiritually and morally too. It can be asserted that reminiscences concerning Sr Angeline have been imprinted in the heart and mind of people at Mogarnad. The extent of her love and care for pupils in the School for twelve years as also for the people at Mogarnad for 17 years was evident from the large number of parishioners present at her funeral service at Holy Rosary Convent, Jeppu on February 10, 2013. That her untimely death caused due to bone cancer left a void in their heart was obvious on their face and in their words. The parish started Deva Matha English Medium School in 2004 during the tenure of Fr Leo Lobo. Sr Enet D’Souza, head teacher at St Antony School extended her assistance in obtaining permission from the education department for the school.
The Convent and compound has received needed refurbishing time to time. Sr Rose D’Souza, animator for eleven years put up the compound wall; Sr Enet D’Souza renovated the convent building specifically by repairing the rickety roof; Sr Gracy D’Souza focused on developing the agricultural land. To this effect, she undertook tasks such as levelling the ground, planting coconut saplings and jasmine plants. The Sisters work strenuously in the school, in the parish, at home and in the compound. A pre-novice, who spent a month at the Convent in 2013 as part of her community experience, described their lifestyle wittily: They work so much that they have no time to eat and no time to sin’. Is not this the best compliment a community of Sisters could receive from a formee? Sisters Candida Monterio, Celesta D’Souza, Rose D’Souza, Emerita Monteiro, Enet D’Souza, and Gracy D’Souza have been animators of the community at Mogarnad.
The Sisters render unstinted service at the parish and the parish church. They carry out pastoral activities just as in other parishes. Besides, they animate SCC prayer meetings in ten out of fifteen wards of the parish. Being true to their charism of parish apostolate, they have extended their services to Salethur parish too. Sisters Ottilia Pinto and Janet D’Souza rendered socio- pastoral services there for three years, namely, from 1999 to 2002. Preparation for Eucharistic celebration on Sundays, catechizing children and First Communicants, and joining people in celebrations of their joyful events are a few of the pastoral activities of the Sisters at Salethur. Sr Ottilia worked as a social worker for a year. When Salethur became an independent parish on February 9, 2002 under the care of Pilar Fathers, the Sisters brought their services to a halt officially. However, they continue to render their services at the request of the parish priest as and when needed.
Life witness of the Sisters has drawn many young girls and boys to consecrated religious life. Nineteen among them are Ursuline Franciscans. In view of recruiting vocations, vocation promotion camps are conducted regularly for students of class X. There have been events that brought joy to the community: golden jubilee of Sisters Dorothy D’Almeida on May 5, 2008, Esther D’Mello on May 14, 2013 and silver jubilee of Sr Agnes Andrade on May 5, 2005. Pilar Fathers from Salethur, Capuchins from Farangipet and Franciscan Fathers from Bannur assist the Sisters in their spiritual pursuit. With support from the Mother of God, the Sisters at Mogarnad have been enabling people to encounter her Son Jesus Christ by their commendable presence.
