Diocese: Imphal
Pioneers: Sisters Irene Goveas and Anita Pereira
In response to the invitation of Bishop Joseph Mittathany of Imphal Diocese, Sisters Irene Goveas, and Anita Pereira arrived at Makhan on January 21, 1993. Incidentally, the Sisters were moving out to a third State in the North-East India after eighteen years of their existence only in the States of Nagaland and Mizoram. The first house of the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters in the Archdiocese of Imphal was officially inaugurated on March 21, 1993.
St Xavier parish, Makhan, consisting of a Catholic population of 1600 and spread out in six villages was blessed and inaugurated only in 1990. Evangelical and catechetical work was the need of the hour in the newly erected parish. The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters have been meeting the need in a challenging manner. They visit families regularly and catechize them. In order to prepare people for reception of the sacraments, they reside in villages during weekends. They lead prayer services in the church and catechize first communicants. They visit the sick, assist poor children in their studies by coaching them during holidays.
Besides apostolic activities, the Sisters render their services in the school. Quality education, with special consideration to slow-learning and economically weak children offered in the school draws children from near and far; currently the number of students in the school is 700, which was 300 in 1993. The High School has obtained the full-fledged status. A well-equipped computer lab of the school makes pupils think that they are not left behind in a fast-growing technological world. For these and other reasons, the School is considered one of the best in the district of Makhan.
The Sisters are involved actively in social apostolate. They create awareness regarding health and hygiene; they provide quality care for mothers and infants through MCH programmes. A vocational training centre for tailoring and knitting, started in October 2002, enables village girls to earn their livelihood. For ten years, the Sisters have been supervising studies of girl children residing in the boarding house of the parish. On August 3, 2003, a new hostel for girl children was inaugurated. Since 2005 the Sisters have taken total responsibility of administering the boarding house. It caters to sixty-five girl children.
Certain significant events of the Convent must be mentioned: Sr Anita Pereira celebrated the silver jubilee of her religious profession on August 1, 1993 and Sr Irene Goveas celebrated hers on August 3, 2003. The Sisters have been privileged to reside in a new convent since December 7, 1996; Archbishop Joseph Mittathany blessed and inaugurated it. The good work begun by the pioneering Sisters has been carried forward and even improved upon by the Sisters who succeeded them. The Sisters aspire for and pray that God is made known and loved through them in their service to humanity.