Diocese: Lucknow

Pioneers: Sisters Avita Pinto, Benedicta D’Mello, Trecilla Dias and Josephine Correa

At the invitation of Bishop Allen D’Lastic of Lucknow Diocese, Sisters Avita Pinto, Trecilla Dias, Benedicta D’Mello and Josephine Correa arrived at Hardoi on June 29, 1987. The objective of the presence of the Sisters at Hardoi is to evangelize, which ought to be achieved through the education of the poor. As a common phenomenon, the Sisters had no residence of their own.

They resided in the quarters of the helpers for fifteen days followed by their stay in one of the classrooms of the school for a year until their house was ready on July 25, 1988. Fr Simon Fernandes, Principal of St James School, was instrumental in securing their residence; the Sisters acknowledge gratefully his thoughtfulness and goodwill.

Almost for twelve years, the Sisters focussed chiefly on education – teaching in the English Medium School of the diocese. They visited people in neighbouring villages and coached children from rural areas. Only in 2000, they ventured into concrete socio-political action. Sisters Alice Pinto and Victoria D’Souza at the persistence of Sr Edilburga, the Superior General, visited families, surveyed and studied situation of people in several villages around Hardoi. Their venture has certainly borne fruit. The Hardoi community currently caters to the downtrodden through the instrumentality of qualified Social Workers Sisters Maria Jyothi and Albina Kujur, who are engaged full-time in social apostolate. Besides, a medically trained Sister attends to the health cases of people both at the dispensary and in neighbouring villages.

The outreach programme to the disadvantaged in particular has been enhanced through the instrumentality of Fr Claude D’Souza SJ. He organized through Inde Espoir the arrival of a group of eighteen French students along with Fr Patrick Langue SJ, their guide, to Hardoi on August 2, 2003. Having resided at the place, they contributed both technical expertise and manual labour in constructing a structure which is used as dispensary cum Centre for Social Work. They also assisted the venture financially. Brother Julian, OFM Cap planned as well as supervised the structure. The building was ready on July 8, 2004. Fr Patrick Langue inaugurated it and Bishop Albert D’Souza of Lucknow Diocese blessed it. The centre caters to the needy of surrounding areas. It also accommodates the novices of the province during their Immersion cum Exposure Programme which takes place annually for duration of one month.

Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, corruption, belief in superstitions, caste system are usual phenomena throughout the State of Uttar Pradesh. The Sister-Social Workers with the assistance of community Sisters, attempt to address them by way of awareness programmes and community development projects. Programmes such as community health, mother-and- child health education, non-formal literacy, adult education, coaching sessions for schooling children, Self-Help-Group formation and facilitation, Balmandal (child-related) meetings, empowerment programmes, skill training, tailoring are conducted on regular basis. The programmes are funded financially by people of goodwill. In 2010 the Director of Missieprocuur Solidair Met India, Fr Prem Arockia (Norbertine) has financed the outreach projects of the Province in Hardoi. The Switzerland Province of the Capuchin Friars has financed the programmes of non-formal literacy, adult education and other developmental works in the service of the poor.

The Health Centre facilitates health of people by way of OPD (Out Patient Department) Check-up, community health programmes, health camps, health and hygiene awareness programmes, mother-and-child care, immunization programmes, antenatal and postnatal check-up, DOTs programme, HIV/AIDs awareness programme and Herbal Cure are regular programmes conducted at the health centre.

Catholic population is scanty in Hardoi. Unmindful of this fact, a church building has been constructed at Hardoi on January 20, 2008. The construction aims at proclaiming that ‘a house of prayer proclaims the presence of God who guides the course of human destiny’. St James Church assembles people for worship on Sundays and feast days. The Sisters are involved actively in pastoral activities of the parish church.

The Sisters at Hardoi community have made a leap of faith by involving themselves in the service of the downtrodden by performing pro-poor programmes. Several generous persons and organizations have facilitated this leap. A further venture for a higher leap to be expected from the Sisters is: not to be merely pro-poor but also to be radical, namely, making possible for slum- dwelling (who dwell all around the school) children to obtain education in the English Medium Schools they instruct…