Sr Hildegarde Rasquinha

Sr Hildegarde was born on 7^th October 1939 as the 3^rd child among the 7 children of Mr Sylvester Rasquinha and Carmine Saldanha, a devout and affectionate family of St Sebastian Church, Bendur, Mangalore diocese. Born on the feast of our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Sr Hildegarde had a great love and devotion to Mother Mary and the recitation of the Rosary.   At Baptism she was named as Juliana and grew up in the loving, caring and devout family ambience.  Her family was a domestic church where they prayed the daily family prayers together and participated in the Eucharist regularly.  Juliana was a clever and cheerful girl, did her primary and secondary education at St Joseph’s School, Nanthoor and Sacred Heart Girls High School, Kulshekar, after which did her professional course of Teacher’s Training at Capitanio, Mangalore.

At the age of 20, after completing her academic studies, inspired by her aunt Sr Placid, an Ursuline Franciscan missionary and through the guidance of her vocation promoter, Fr Boniface, OCD, Juliana joined the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation at Holy Rosary Convent, Mangalore.  After undergoing her basic and novitiate formation, she made her 1^st profession in 1961, christened as Sr Hildegarde in the congregation and after four years, in the year 1965, she made her final commitment.

Sr Hildegarde as a joyful, prayerful and committed religious began her mission as a teacher cum headmistress from 1961 and continued till her formal retirement from school in 1998. She served at Sacred Heart Convent, Hirebile, Christa Raj Convent, Naganahalli, Shanthi Convent, Shanthipura, St Clare’s Convent, Suntikoppa,  St Joseph’s Convent, Koppa, Christa Jyothi Convent, Jogfalls and finally at Nirmala Ashram, Gudlupet.  She was a committed teacher, good administrator, loved her staff and the students. After her retirement she continued her mission in pastoral care in the parishes, especially Catechising, assisting in the sacristy and attending to church cleanliness. Another mission she willingly took up was to take care of the orphan & single parent children at St Philomena’s Boys home, Mysore at Cathedral campus. She served here for eleven years.  We are happy and proud that quite a few boys from the Boys home have joined the seminary and are zealous ordained priests, serving in different dioceses. 

Always being faithful to her life of prayer, she never missed the role of Martha in her hospitality and deep faith. Sr Hildegarde was ever young at heart, enjoyed the company of both young and old making everyone lively. She was good at keeping accounts and had very beautiful hand writing.  She has helped many of our communities, to maintain proper accounts and registers.  Even at St Mary’s convent, she continued to render her services of St Mary’s school, which is the proof of her love and passion for mission. 

Along with the Congregation’s motto ‘All for the love of God’, Sr Hildegarde had her personal motto as ‘Sacrifice, Love and Service’. She was very kind and generous, helping the poor by asking financial help from  her family members and her students and sharing it with the poorest of the poor, without making a publicity of her charity.  She had the joy of celebrating the golden jubilee of her religious profession in the year 2011. She was very close to her family, friends and students including the boys whom she took care at the Boys Home who would visit her quite often.

All through her 62 years of religious life, Sr Hildegarde enjoyed good health and was active, except the last few months, where her health was deteriorating due to Dementia and debility associated with advancing age. Timely care and medication was extended by our doctors and the team of St Mary’s Community Health Centre.  We are greatly indebted to their care and loving service.

On October 17^th, Monday afternoon Sr Hildegarde grew very dull with hard breathing. The Sisters were at her bedside praying as they perceived that her end was coming. At 4.30 pm in the presence of the Community members of St Mary’s and Sanjeevini convents, Dr Sr Hilda and Dr Sr Jyothi Cecilia, her aunt Sr Placid and her nephew Mr Naveen, she breathed her last.

A requiem Mass was concelebrated at St Mary’s Convent Chapel H D Kote at 6.30 pm for the departed soul of Sr Hildegarde by Rev Fr Edward Saldanha, the Parish Priest of St Mary’s Church H D Kote, Rev. Fr Antony Swamy the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Church, Naganahalli  and Rev. Fr G Joseph from Prashant Nilaya, Mysore.

Sr Hildegarde’s mortal remains were brought to Maria Niketan Convent, Bogadi on 20^th of October at 8.30 am. The  funeral Mass was celebrated at 10.30 pm presided over by Most Rev Dr KA William, Bishop of Mysore along with  Bishop Emeritus Most Rev. Dr Thomas Antony Vazhapilly along with 29 other concelebrants.  Good number of Sisters of the Province, Sisters from Generalate, Mangalore and Hubli Province, family members of Sr Hildegarde and people from different parishes of Mysore where she gave her service accompanied her during her final journey and paid their last respects. Rev. Fr Vincent Saldanha her cousin and Rev Fr John Baptist Saldanha her nephew, conducted the funeral rites. She was laid to rest at Maria Niketan Convnet Cemetery, Bogadi.

Dear Sr Hildegarde you continue to live with us as a loving witness of joy and resignation to the will of God. Your life is a beautiful gift to the Ursuline Franciscan Family. Your missionary zeal and loving service will be cherished by all who have been your beneficiaries and those who lived and interacted with you. We take comfort in believing that we have an angel in heaven to watch over us and intercede for us. You live in our hearts!