Finale of the Apostolic Carmel Sesquicentennial Celebration
Bengaluru: The three-day Sesquicentennial celebration of the Apostolic Carmel concluded with a Thanksgiving Mass and a Cultural programme. The congregation that started on 16th July 1868 in Bayonne, France, was transplanted on Indian soil, in Mangalore on 19th November 1870 with Bishop Marie Ephrem welcoming the band of three sisters from Europe at Bunder and taking them to the Rosario Cathedral and in procession to St. Ann’s Convent. It was fitting then the main celebrant of the Thanksgiving Eucharist was Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangaluru. He expressed his great happiness of being a part of this celebration since when the foundation house at Bayonne was closed down St. Ann’s Mangalore became the Mother House of the Apostolic Carmel from where the congregation spread far and wide.
The Cultural Programme that followed was a tribute to the Foundress, Venerable Mother Veronica by the Sisters of the Apostolic Carmel (AC) and the Sisters of the Congregation of Carmelite Religious (CCR) through plays in dance and music form presented by the Sisters themselves. The saga of the life of Mother Veronica, the agony and ecstasy she experienced was depicted in two sections, namely, her coming to Calicut, India, and the call to Carmel, ‘I want you in Carmel’ by the Lord, was presented as the ‘Enchanting Encounters’, of our Foundress by the AC Sisters of the Southern Province in ballet, minstrel show, in dance drama. Her journey whereby she had to brave the choppy seas, the bumpy roads and the pebbly path of leaving her much loved congregation of St. Joseph of the Apparition in order to found the Carmel for the Missions, the Apostolic Carmel.
And her total surrender to the will of God when she knew she was not privileged to come to Mangaluru with her sisters, her silent tears that watered the Carmel in India, from the time of the transplantation of her order in Mangaluru which eventually bore fruit a hundredfold was showcased by the sisters of the Karnataka Province, Apostolic Carmel in the one act play, the dance drama, ‘Uncompromised Commitment’. The CCR sisters continued further with a musical play in verse and song titled ‘My Irish Lily’, on the path trod by their co-foundress, the Irish sister, Mother Elias, one of the pioneers, of the Apostolic Carmel, who branched off as a new congregation in Trivandrum. The Northern Province of the AC then made an audio-visual presentation, ‘Spreading our Wings’ giving a glimpse into the glorious spreading of the two congregations into more than ten countries.
The Chief Guest of the programme was an eminent Carmelite Educationist, Dr. Fr. Thomas Mathew, CMI, the Vice Chancellor of Christ University who urged the two congregations that had pioneered education and have exhibited leadership in education, to grow towards being innovators with a bigger vision. The publication titled, Tribute to Mother Veronica, as a Souvenir of the celebrations, with articles written by the sisters on the spirituality and vision of Mother Veronica and edited by Sr. Lydia A.C. was released by Mother Mary Francis, the Superior General of the CCR Sisters. Sr. M. Susheela, A.C., the AC Superior General welcomed the gathering and gave mementoes to the special guests.
Sr. Rose Agnes A.C. compered the programme. Sr. Mabilia A.C., Assistant Superior General proposed the Vote of Thanks. The programme concluded with the Sesquicentennial Anthem composed and put to music by Sr. Clarice. Our foundress Mother Veronica’s cause for sainthood has been taken up by the Vatican and she is already declared Venerable. We invite all of you join us in praying for this cause that she may soon be raised to the honours of the Altars.
Written and submitted by Sr. Lydia Fernandes, A.C. General Councillor, Apostolic Carmel Generalate, Bengaluru
Also Read Related Article:
Tribute to AC Nuns on Sesquicentennial (150yrs) Jubilee of Apostolic Carmel Congregation
