Diocese: Mysore
Pioneers: Sisters Bibiana Noronha, Gemma Pinto and Lissy Madavath
The Ursuline Franciscan Congregation was considering acquiring a prayer house of its own. Subsequently, on June 25, 1997 the General Administration bought a plot of land at Alanahalli with an existing building that operated as a hostel for girls until then. Alanahalli is a village in Mysore Taluk. It belongs to Mysore Division. It is located eight kms towards the west of District Headquarters of Mysore. The existing structure required certain alteration to make it suitable for the Sisters to reside in it and the fulfilment of the purpose of the prayer house. Having attended to these requirements the house was now ready to acommodate small groups of participants. It was named Deepanjali, meaning ‘offering of light’ The name of the Convent receives confirmation in the chosen patron saint of the Convent, St Clare meaning ‘brightness’. Deepanjali is meant to radiate the light of Christ to those coming into it and those living around it by way of making itself available as a house of prayer.
In order to concretize the above-stated vision Sisters Bibiana Noronha, Gemma Pinto and Lissy Madavath arrived at Deepanjali as pioneers on June 25, 1997. On August 11, 1997 Deepanjali was inaugurated by Sr Edilburga Monteiro, the Superior General; it was blessed by Bishop Joseph Roy of the Diocese of Mysore. In the subsequent years, the requirements of Alanahalli have been met such as, registering the land in the name of Sr Beatrice D’Silva, compounding the land with boundary, upgrading the house with a conference hall, dining hall and two guest rooms. As a dwelling place of prayer, Deepanjali has housed the tertians of the Congregation for 10 years. Besides, both male and female religious, priests, Brothers and people from other denominations too have been spiritually nurtured by Deepanjali. It was canonically erected with the formal decree of the erection on April 20, 2003 by Sr Edilburga, Superior General. In 2005 an additional conference hall was built.
After 10 years of its existence under the care of the Generalate, Deepanjali was handed over to the Mysore Province on 2007. Sr Annie M A was appointed the first Superior under the new regime. Ever since its inception, the Sisters have been extending their services both in pastoral and social field. Pastorally, they participate and coordinate in the parish activities. Socially, they visit families, listen to the woes of people and counsel them. They also coach the slow-learning and illiterate children and youth of the neighbourhood. Retreats and courses etc are being conducted at Deepanjali as usual. The Sisters continue to radiate Christ the light by their ‘being’ and ‘doing’ at Aalanahalli.