Diocese: Kohima
Pioneers: Sisters Letitia D’Silva, Rosy Dias, Roseline Chani and Prafulit Ekka
The North-East Province of the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation has been emerging tall with an impressive growth both in number and achievements: local vocations have been on the increase and the Sisters have moved out to seven States of India. The growth rate necessitates additional facilities. This factor compelled the Province to shift the Provincial administrative base to a more accessible location. The Assisi Convent at Dimapur where the administration of the Province had rested thus far found itself now wedged increasingly due to innumerable, yet need-based, developmental activities of various sort. Subsequently, a plot of land was purchased at Purana Bazar, Dimapur in 2007. The site enclosed a house. When renovated it was blessed by Bishop Jose Mukala of Kohima Diocese on March 10, 2008. Sisters Letitia D’Silva, Rosy Dias, Roseline Chani and Prafulit Ekka formed the Community. Sr Gretta Sanjivini joined them in June 2008.
A long-standing dream of a new Provincial House for the Province found its realization on September 22, 2009. Sr Doreen D’Souza, Superior General, inaugurated it and Bishop Jose Mukala blessed it. On the same day, Sr Mary CJ, Provincial Superior, along with her Team, entered the new administration unit: Tabor-UFC Provincialate. Ever since 2009, several programmes of the Province have been held at the Provincialate. They include meeting of Provincial Council, Superiors, Formators, Advisory Commissions, vocation promoters, finance committee and Ursuline Franciscan Society Meeting. Formation activities such as renewal programme for Sisters and formees at various stages of formation, retreats for Sisters and various evaluation programmes are also being held there. In 2010, in the fifth Provincial Chapter, Sr Milly Fernandes was elected Provincial Superior of North-East Province. In order to facilitate various programmes of the Province, she extended the administration block in 2011 with a floor which consists of a well-equipped conference hall. In 2012 formation programme of candidates was shifted from Assisi Convent, Dimapur, to the Tabor campus. The building used initially as the Provincial House has been converted into the House of Candidates.
Besides administrative activities of the Province, the Provicialate hosts a number of programmes annually, monthly and weekly. The house also caters to Sisters/formees on transit and to ailing members of the Province. The Sisters make time to visit families, which in a way keeps them rooted in reality. The biblical name ‘Tabor’ alludes to a call to encounter God on the ‘top of a mountain’, to experience transformation there, and implement the mission received at the encounter. It is an ardent desire of the Sisters that Tabor becomes such a place for every member of the North-East Province.
