Diocese: Udupi
Pioneers: Sisters Dulla D’Souza and Benita D’Mello
Perampally, a hamlet in Udupi district lies four kilometres away from Manipal town. As a remote area, it carried its share of illiteracy, unemployment and therefore, poverty. Fr James Andrade, parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima, invited the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters to Perampally to implant quality education at Infant Mary Higher Primary School, which was languishing for want of a sufficient number, as well as to form the faith of the people in the Triune God. In keeping with the state of affairs at Perampally, the Sisters could obtain only a shed of the parish for their residence, found in the present school play ground. A new house proposed to be constructed in the present location of the Convent in 1971 was stalled due to cardiac arrest of the contractor Mr Pius D’Cunha of Valencia. However, Providence was on their side: a relative of Mr D’Cunha, Mr Gregory Rego intervened and completed the construction within four months. It was inaugurated on September 1, 1972. The Sisters must have felt certainly more secure when a plot of land measuring 48.50 cents, lying around it was procured for the Convent.
Sisters Dulla D’Souza (1969-1972), Ida D’Souza (1972- 1974), Julita Menezes (1974-1979), Adelaide Noronha (1979-1981), Assisia Crasta (1981-1983), Leena Pereira (1983-1988), Irene Castelino(1988-1995), Irene Pais (1995-2001), Emerita Monteiro (2001-2006) and Sr Irene Rodrigues (2006- ) as head teachers of the School have maintained the Infant Mary School as an icon of learning. Sr Dulla D’Souza obtained permission for higher primary level, Sr Julita elevated the School to class VII; Sr Rose secured a few cents of land for the School and enclosed the school campus with a wall; she also introduced parent-teacher association in the School. Sr Emerita was honoured with the Best Science Instructor award at State level for organizing Creative Technology for Juniors. She utilized the secured amount for providing uniform for poor students; she also gifted a computer to the School. Sr Irene Rodrigues succeeded in fulfilling the dream of a new and well-equipped school building in 2000. In the subsequent year, Guide Flock was arranged in the School. Strange enough, at present only one Sister, namely Sr Irene Rodrigues, is serving in the School, as head teacher.
In their task of forming the faith of the people, the Sisters have been accentuating pastoral work. They catechize children and First Communicants, maintain cleanliness of the House of God, join the church choir, and inspire people to take active part in liturgy. They participate in SCC prayer meetings of eleven wards of the parish; they animate Catholic Sabha, Vincent De Paul Society, St Monica Sodality, Marian Sodality, and Altar Servers Association. Besides rendering service at their own parish, they also undertake pastoral activities at parishes in Parkal and Manipal. They visit families regularly and pray with them. As part of their commitment for holistic development of people, they guide alcohol addicts towards an alcohol-free life. Their life witness has motivated several young boys and girls to choose priestly and religious life.
St Agnes Convent has been a place of convalescence for the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital. Sisters Vigil Veigas and Eugenia D’Souza were provided with finest care by the Sisters of the community. St Agnes Convent has been a conducive place for students as well. By commuting from St Agnes, several Sisters have secured their academic degrees. Sisters Rita D’Souza and Wilma Shanthi D’Almeida secured their BEd from Dr T M A Pai College of Education, Sisters Sylvia D’Souza and Molly D’Cunha won their BCom degree from Mahathma Gandhi Memorial College and Sr Shalet Menezes obtained her Diploma in Civil Engineering from Dr T M A Pai Polytechnic College, Manipal.
Listing a few remarkable events and accomplishments at Perampally down the years may serve as a fitting conclusion to this section. On the occasion of the ruby jubilee of the Convent in 2009 the rickety convent building was provided with a facelift and three rooms were converted into self-contained ones. Sr Loira Veigas, a long-standing member at St Agnes Convent (thirteen years) celebrated her golden jubilee of profession on May 6, 2002. A pre-nursery school as well as a hostel for girls were established in the Convent premises in 2010 in order to provide financial self-sufficiency for the Convent. Sisters Noella Menezes and Stella Marie D’Souza manage efficiently these projects. It is very comforting to see the Sisters making themselves available to serve the Kingdom of God in spite of all odds on their way.