Diocese: Mysore
Pioneers: Sisters Clarina Souza, Margarita Rodrigues, Anicetus D’Souza, Hyacinth Pinto, and Philomena Souza
Suntikoppa, known as the ‘air-conditioning room’ of Karnataka is located on the Mangalore-Mysore State highway. The wide-ranging coffee plantation adorns Suntikoppa; paradoxically the same coffee plantation in a way also damns Suntikoppa wretched – the labourers in coffee estates live in abject poverty, which spares them barely any time for spiritual exercises. In order to address this situation, the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters landed at Suntikoppa at the invitation of Fr J P da P Sequeira who was the parish priest of Madikeri. The parishioners shared their mite to put up the structure which turned out to be the residence of the Sisters in 1957.
Right from their arrival in 1957, they engaged themselves in sustaining and fortifying the faith of the people by means of catechizing and preparing them for sacraments, and visiting families and praying with them. These activities certainly brought spiritual solace to people. At the same time, they began a tailoring class, which helped the beneficiaries to make a gainful living. In their interaction with people, the Sisters learnt of the need of education in the area. The headmaster of the government school in the locality was a God-sent angel to that he helped to start classes from I to III in 1957 and upgraded them to the middle school level in 1960. The school was managed by the parish priest. But the Jesuit priest, who was now heading the parish, Fr Denis D’Souza, handed over the administration of school to the Sisters in 1964.
The good reputation of the school drew the children to it from the neighbouring villages of Suntikoppa. Along with curricular studies, extra-curricular activities such as craft, scouts, guides, cubs and bulbuls were introduced. The school celebrated its silver jubilee in 1984. The School named after St Antony was making steady progress, which as a result caused shortage of space for children. The state of affairs was favourably solved through the mediation of Fr Claude D’Souza S J of Karanataka
Province. He arranged for arrival of Fr Patrick Langue S J who was associated with Inde-Espoir, Paris, France with his group of French university students. Their financial assistance and physical labour in 1994 and 1995 was timely by way of levelling the play ground and putting up a few classrooms and a spacious hall. The President of ‘The Association of Hope’ Mr Patrice and Ms Catherine Bevierie along with Fr Patrick Langue S J visited the place in 1998 and 2001 respectively; they expressed appreciation at the work of the Sisters in the service of the marginalized, the children of labourers in coffee estates in particular.
The educational apostolate of the Sisters at Suntikoppa should entail a mention of the administration of the English medium school at Suntikoppa. The Sisters had identified themselves totally with the marginalized; this fact brought to their conviction that the poor could not afford schooling in English medium due to its heavy payments. As a result, they withheld the pressure and pursuit of starting an English medium school as well as administering the English medium school started by the parish. In 2001, however, the administration of St Mary English Medium High School was taken over by the Sisters after they discerned the signs of the times. Sr Gertrude D’Sa was the first head teacher of the school.
At no time did the Sisters restrict themselves to school alone. They catechized, visited families, and conducted tailoring classes to young women and girls. The Sisters kept their eyes open to global needs – assisted by pupils, they collected funds for soldiers and relief workers during the Kargil War in 1999.
The Convent was initially dedicated to the patronage of St Philomena; as St Philomena lost the right for public cult in the Church calendar, the patronage was handed over to St Clare in 1959. St Clare Convent has accommodated Sisters for several years for courses, retreats, meetings and juniorate programmes. The School and the Convent have celebrated their golden jubilee in 2006 and 2007 respectively.