Diocese: Mangalore
Pioneers: Sisters Verine Suares, Olivia Sequeira, Assisia Crasta and Juliana Saldanha
Nirmala Ashram at Loreto came into being to meet the practical needs of the parish. Loreto Church School was started in the year 1911 under the management of Catholic Board of Education, Mangalore Diocese. As years passed the School was going through a bad time, securing results between 25% and 35%. Discipline too had gone slack. Even the Department of Education passed strictures. Left with no alternative Bishop Basil S D’Souza, and the parish priest of Loreto, Fr Placid Pereira, invited the Sisters of Ursuline Franciscan Congregation to take up the administration and run the School. As a result two Sisters, Olivia Sequeira and Verine Suares, of Bal-Christ Nivas, Siddakatte, a place ten miles away from Loreto, had to do the commuting daily up to the Church School of Loreto. They began teaching in the School from May 29, 1972.
The presence of the Sisters augmented the education standards of the School, even the discipline was toned up so that in the very first year the results shot up to 75%. The happy turn of events was noted even by the Education Department in the inspection report: “Working of the school is quite satisfactory; Sr Verine Suares is an efficient teacher”. But the plight of the two Sisters called for far more than usual sympathy as they were still travelling daily 20 kilometres from Siddakatte to and from in the overcrowded buses on the country zig-zag roads. This and lack of proper food and rest and heavy work in the school curriculum, all told on their health.
In appreciation of the services of the Sisters the Bishop agreed to the pressing request of the parish priest to sanction the opening of a house of the Ursuline Franciscans at Loreto. The objective of the Convent was the usual one: the catechetical instruction and the education of children of the parish, coupled with evangelization. The pioneers were Sisters Verine Suares, Olivia Sequeira, Assisia Crasta and Juliana Saldanha. For their residence, they received a house in the compound adjacent to the church building in the eastern direction. They received one acre 30 cents land along with the house from the parish priest given with due permission from the bishop; an additional 30 cents land, located in front of the convent building was received as a gift from Ms Santana Viegas, a parishioner. On June 18, 1972 in the presence of Fr Placid Pereira, parish priest and Mother Ernestine, the Superior General, Sisters and the parishioners of Loreto, the foundation stone was laid for the new convent by Bishop Basil S D’Souza. Mother Ernestine sent a project to the Missio through Fr Edwin Pinto, Director of CODP to get aid for the construction of Loreto Convent. Through the intercession of our Lady of Loreto the project got through and the Missio sanctioned DM 24000/- for the construction. The relatives of Sr Juliana Saldanha donated Rs 25000/- from the sale proceeds of her Kodialbail property. The construction work was undertaken by Mr Gregory Rego. Sr Juliana supervised the construction. The dream of the Sisters was realized and inauguration of the convent took place on February 11, 1974.
Alongside teaching in the School, the pioneers paid due attention to pastoral activities of the church as well as the parish. Fr Placid Pereira and the parishioners supported the Sisters a great deal in all their endeavours.
The Sisters continue to teach in the School, which is at the primary level even to date. Currently, Sr Idoline Rodrigues serves as the head teacher. In 2008, the parish started an English medium school, which consists of classes I to X. Sisters Sheela Mendonca and Helen Pais render honorary service at the English Medium High School section. The Sisters at Loreto, both as head teachers and assistant teachers have inspired their students to be truthful, dutiful, and committed citizens of the country. These have been assisted to participate in competitions at various capacities and levels; as a result they have brought honour to the School. They have been encouraged to involve themselves in social welfare programmes like coaching the slow-learners, visiting the houses of the students, counseling, visiting the sick and helping them financially, and organizing and participating in different celebrations.
Children from Loreto had been commuting to distant areas to pursue their studies in English medium. This was necessarily strenuous for both children and their parents. The Sisters, therefore, planned to put up an English medium school in the convent campus. However, after discussing the issue with the parish priest, they had to settle for a nursery school only. In 2006, classes were opened for lower and upper kindergarten in Nirmala Ashram. The nursery school has almost one hundred children at present. A playground has been set up for them in the midst of the coconut grove of the community. Sr Gabriel was the pioneer of this venture. In order to arrange classrooms for children, the convent building had been modified. The open square in the centre of the building was remodeled to suit the classrooms. Additions to the Convent, like individual rooms, a parlour, a sit-out, and a well-furnished interlocked yard provide conveniences for its members; they also endow the convent building with elegance. The Sisters are grateful to the Provincial Superior, Sr Lenita D’Souza, and her team for the consideration towards them.
In the pastoral field they render wholehearted service. Their activities include those of the church and the parish as in other places. Besides they accompany the children in their preparations for the annual catechism day and the annual ward day. They also participate in SCC prayer meetings regularly and collaborate in all parish-related associations. Visits to families are a regular feature of Nirmala Ashram. Their involvement in joys and sorrows of the people, not merely the Catholics but also the people of other faiths has made them an integral part of the Loreto community.
Water scarcity has been a perennial problem at Nirmala Ashram. Neighbours have come to the rescue of the Sisters in this regard on several occasions. In 2009, a tube well was sunk; it supplies sufficient amount of water even for the coconut plantation. The Convent has two intercessors in heaven. They are Sisters Bonette Pinto and Delphine Tauro. The former had passed away on May 10, 2004 due to abdominal cancer and the latter on September 12, 2009 due to a cardiac arrest. Both the Sisters have served the people of God at Loreto for several years.
The Sisters have been maintaining good rapport with the people at Loreto. The people cherish good and grateful memories of Sisters like Agnes Mendonca, Bonette Pinto and Delphine Tauro, who had served them for a long duration with affection. This factor is apparently one of the reasons for people to love their Sisters at Loreto.
