Diocese: Mangalore
Pioneers: Sisters Dulla D’Souza, Fridesville Menezes, Shalini Lobo and Luella D’Souza
Sullia, an agricultural, yet undeveloped hamlet, needed assistance of a religious congregation to empower its people. At the invitation of Fr Abel Coelho, parish priest, the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters landed at Sullia on May 18, 1972. They resided in a tiny house offered by the parish. The house was occupied previously by the Bethany Sisters of the Little Flower. As they had moved to Sampaje dreading the scarcity of water at Sullia, the house was vacant and the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters occupied it at their arrival at Sullia. The Sisters received 2.15 acres of land along with the residence. As the house was in a decrepit state, a new house was deemed essential. The construction began in the same location on August 8, 1972. However its completion had to take place amidst several obstructions related to finance; the death of Fr Coelho on March 18, 1973, their pillar of strength proved to be the main snag. When the house was finally ready for inauguration on November 1, 1973, it was named St Raymond Convent in memory of Bishop Raymond D’Mello of Mangalore Diocese (1959-April 1964), who had been keen on establishing a religious community of Sisters at Sullia. He was transferred to Allahabad before realizing his dream.
The Sisters endeavoured to generate hope in hopeless situations at Sullia. Education proved to be a potent means in this regard. The St Bridgit Higher Primary School consisting of four teachers and 200 pupils at their arrival came to be transformed into a centre of learning over the years. Sr Dulla D’Souza and her successors Sisters Benjamin D’Souza, Lilly Pinto, Celesta D’Souza, Olivia Sequeira, Noella Menezes, Irene Castelino, Tresa R and Lucy D’Souza have put in unceasing toil towards holistic development of the students. As a result St Bridgit School can claim today to have built up an enviable record. Currently it has 628 students and nine members of the teaching staff.
Apart from the teaching by the Sisters at Sullia, pastoral apostolate is being carried out with utmost commitment. Catechizing, maintaining the House of God for prayer, leading the choir, training people for fruitful participation of the liturgy, animating YCS and ICYM, participating in SCC prayer meetings, distributing communion on Sundays in the parish and accompanying students to Jeevan Jyothi Camps are their regular pastoral activities. The Sisters accompany the Malayalam and Tamil speaking believers of the parish in their faith. The former are owners of rubber plantation and the latter are labourers in the rubber estate. The Sisters visit their villages of Paichar, Ivarnadu and Aletti and pray with them.
The parish welcomed an additional religious Congregation on June 4, 2000. At the initiative of Fr Elias D’Souza, an English- medium school has been started at Sullia. The Sisters of the Congregation of Regular Franciscan Tertiary Sisters (RFTS) administer the School. The Medical and Engineering College at Sullia by Mr V Kurunji has been providing avenues for the Sisters to incorporate themselves in various areas of service.
Sisters Dulla D’Souza, Benjamin D’Souza, Helena Menezes, Lilly Pinto, Celesta D’Souza, Stella Marie D’Souza, Olivia Sequeira, Noella Menezes, Irene Castelino, Marceline D’Souza, Veera Santanaz, and Lucy Gretta D’Souza have been animators of the community rendering their service to build the community within and outside. They have undertaken repairs of the house whenever needed. The community celebrated the golden and silver jubilee of the religious profession of Sr Anicetus and Sr Irene Castelino on May 1, 1999 respectively.
Besides their socio-pastoral activities, the Sisters perform works of charity. They offer hospitality to visitors who take a breather at Sullia on their way to Mysore and Madikeri for study and recreational tours. Sullia is a rather secluded area, with no convents of the Congregation in the vicinity. Nonetheless, the Sisters have been striving to bring Christ to people as well as to accompany people to Christ.
