Towards Sesquicentennial ….. The Apostolic Carmel Housing Project!
Mangaluru: Mother Veronica, nee Sophie Leeves from Constantinople who arrived at Calicut, India in 1862 as a sister of St. Joseph of the Apparition, saw the sad plight of women. The girl child had no privilege of education because of the evils of poverty and alcohol prevailing in the society. Gripped by this scenario and moved by the Spirit of God she hearkened to the whisper within her heart ‘I want you in Carmel’. With the assistance of Bishop Marie Ephrem, the Vicar Apostolic of Mangaluru she founded a new Congregation, the Third Order Regular, The Apostolic Carmel at Bayonne, France on July 16th, 1868. She chose education as the main apostolate of the Congregation while also giving importance to other works of mercy.
The Apostolic Carmel has since then spread over to eight countries, with 188 houses with over 1700 sisters who have dedicated their lives to the cause of humanity especially through education. Crores of families have seen better days with the gift of education. In Karnataka alone, we run 67 institutions with 28439 students studying at present in our schools and colleges. St. Ann’s Teacher Training Institution which has completed 125 years has trained over 7000 teachers and gifted them to the Nation and the world. St. Ann’s College of Education which is marching towards its Platinum Jubilee has sent out thousands of teachers and teacher educators. St. Agnes College, a pioneering college for women is moving towards its Centenary and has contributed women of a calibre to the Nation and the world as teachers, doctors, engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs etc.
As the congregation marches towards its 150 years of its origin, the Superior General, Sister M. Susheela thought the best way to celebrate the sesquicentennial would be to build 150 houses for the homeless poor. Each province was given 25 houses to be completed by July 2018. The Karnataka Province has already made a selection of 25 houses spread throughout Karnataka – Bengaluru, Nanjangud, Bidar, Lingsugur, Ganguli, Kundapura, Mysuru, Modankap, Moodbidri and Mangaluru. All the convents have pooled together their savings towards this human project. The Karnataka Province has already completed 15 houses and the families occupying these have a smile on their faces of having a home of their own. 8 houses are under construction and 2 more houses are yet to start. We hope to complete this wonderful project by the end of December 2017.
Many have joined hands in this noble venture by contributing their mite. Three Convents and the institutions in the campus namely St. Agnes, St. Mary’s and St. Ann’s organized Fetes, Tulu Drama ‘Telikeda Barsa’ and Entertainment Evening and visited several people of goodwill to request for help to join hands. Others in their own innovative way have tried to make this dream a reality. Our sincere appreciation and gratitude, to all our donors, big and small, for their generous response, in this humane task. May God who is never undone in generosity blesses and reward each one is our sincere and humble prayer.
Submitted by: Sister Rose Agnes A.C., Provincial House, St. Ann’s Convent, Mangaluru
