Diocese: Imphal
Pioneers: Sr Cleeta D’Almeida, and Candidate Nancy Ngovolu D Vadeo
Sr Cleeta D’Almeida, and Candidate Nancy Ngovolu D Vadeo along with Sr Mary CJ, Provincial Superior arrived at Liyai7 on February 1, 2009. With their arrival one could see the realization of the dream of the Province to establish a second house in the diocese of Imphal. Fr Boniface SJ, the parish priest of Christ the King parish and Principal of Loyola School, and catechist Mr Jacob and a few Catholic leaders welcomed the Sisters at the parish house. The same evening, the parish community met together to accord a cordial welcome to the Sisters. As in several other places, the Sisters had to put up with a lot of inconveniences during their initial days in Liyai. They resided in a temporary building that consisted of two rooms. They had to put up with irregular supply of electricity and they had to fetch water from a water source half a kilometre away from their residence. Being the beginning of February, it was still winter season in Manipur. These hassles did not deter the Sisters from carrying on with their mission.
On February 2, 2009, the Sisters commenced their work in the school. Sr Mary Lakra joined the community as a teaching Sister in April 2009. The Loyola School at Liyai has reached up to class VI. The Sisters have made an impact in the field of education. Besides involvement in educational apostolate, the Sisters concentrate on pastoral, medical and social apostolates. Catechising, sacristy work, accompanying the priest to villages for spiritual needs of the people, preparing children and youth for reception of sacraments, assisting couples in rectifying their issues related to marriage, counselling the youth etc. are regular activities of the Sisters. The Sisters visit families irrespective of caste and creed. Families of the bereaved and the sick are accorded extra attention. The Sisters join the people in celebrating their festivals and other religious and social programmes.
In subsequent years, the number of Sisters has increased to three. This makes it possible to offer medical care to people; Sr Irene Cherthangpuii has been giving her best since 2010. Initially, she operated from a house in a village, which she utilized as a dispensary. A health centre is being constructed in a village with financial assistance of the Jesuits; it is hoped that the centre will go a long way in helping provide health care for the people – women and children in particular. The medical personnel, besides attending to ailing people in the dispensary, visit the sick in villages, and create awareness in them regarding health and hygiene. The Sisters admit that there is more ‘to be’ and ‘to do’ in the given context.