Sisters of Charity of Nazareth

Hello,

The mobile team is doing fine in Surkhet, Dailekh, and Jajarkot. We have gone to new places where more people need our service. I am sharing the above pictures of Taranga VDC which is quite far away and the roads are very bad. The only way to cross over the Bheri river is by the wooden boat. 

Thanks for your support and guidance. Hopefully we can reach out to the people of these villages.

Cecilia Simick, SCN

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Sister Cecilia leads the mobile team and villagers at the crossing of the Bheri river in a wooden boat to Taranga VDC in Surkhet the only way to cross over to this remote village.

The mobile team had to repair the road on the way to the village.

The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth are once again sponsoring a Community Garden Project at Nazareth! There are 72 plots, each measuring 10 x10 feet. Each gardener is allowed up to 2 plots. There is no charge for the plots. Nazareth also provides deer fencing, water and a tool shed for gardeners. The photo is from the May 1 Blessing of the Gardens, led by Sister Tonya. We’ve had great participation from our on campus residents and those from the Bardstown Community. Happy Planting and Harvesting to all our Gardeners! We look forward to the bounty of crops sure to come soon. 

Rangoli Competition

Around 150 students from class six to 10 took part in the Rangoli competition at Nazareth Academy, Gaya, on May 4. Their colorful production filled the auditorium, stage, open lobby, and the spacious concrete grounds in front of the convent and the administration block of the school. The audiences were spell bound as they went around admiring the blooming talents of the young artists.

Various competitions are held throughout the year to develop the unique talents of each child.

Swearing ceremony of the student Council

The new student council was installed at Nazareth Academy, Gaya, during a special ceremony on April 16. From the chapel with a lit lamp, the newly elected leaders went in procession for the school assembly. One by one, they lit their candles from the lamp and placed them on two decorated stands.  The lamp symbolized Christ, the source of all light, who would guide them in their new role as leaders. Principal Sophia Joseph, SCN, Vice Principal Seema Monippallikalayil, SCN, and teachers pinned the leadership badges on each student council member.

The leaders made a solemn promise that they would perform their duties, carry out their responsibilities faithfully, and become the ideal students that they would like to be.  The Oath ceremony concluded with the school song, “Jesus of Nazareth who loves us all … when we proudly call Nazareth Academy.”

On April 22, 15 SCN Juniors gathered in Nazareth Convent, Chandapura, for their annual summer gathering which turned out to be one of the best we ever had.  It was an immense opportunity for us to be part of the theological reflection on “New Way of Being Women Religious in the Asian Context” given by Shalini Mulakal, PVBM, the pre-assembly workshop by Inigo Joachim, SSA, and the community retreat. Each of these gave us a very deep interaction with the elders and senior sisters of our province which was both enlightening and enriching. The coming together of the juniors offered us a healthy blend of sharing that came from experiences in the communities from educational institutions and from challenging missions.

Throughout these days of workshops and retreat, we were led in to a deeper understanding of our call to religious life. It brought within us an awareness of “Where we are? What we seek? Who we walk for?” The challenging life experiences of all the resources persons that including SCNs Shalini D’Souza, Bridget Kappalumakal, Ann Moyalan and Beena Chirackal were inspiring. We once again were called to recommit ourselves to living out the mission statement, especially in the area of embracing multiculturalism and risking our lives in the mission of Christ, our model.

On the last day of our retreat, with joy in our hearts, we once again renewed our commitment to the SCN way of life. With all the preparations we had had over the past 20 days, our renewal of vows had special meaning in our call to this vowed way of life.  The final phase of the programme was a well cherished picnic to the scenic Nandi Hills of Mysore.  

As we part once again to our respective places of ministry, we carry with us the invitation to be Jesus, Mother Teresa, Mother Catherine and Vincent de Paul in our lives. We also move on with a spirit of love to be in Jesus’ mission through a life of contemplation, compassion and action. We feel the call to be transformed and to be prophetic transformers of the society.

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Sister Beena who planned this programme meticulously. Our gratitude also goes to Sister Ann Palatty, our provincial, Sister Sheela Palamoottil, vice-provincial, and all the sisters in the Chandapura community for the innumerable ways in which they guided and supported us.

Most of all to Jesus our brother we give thanks.

Written by Mary Bincy Joseph, SCN

SCNs Grace Binita Tuti, Jayanti Marandi, Kitamai Catherine Sinku, Manisha Bara, Olive Ekka, Sheela Barla, Sushila Telra and Tarcisia Hembrom made their final vows at the Convent chapel in Mokama, India, on May 11. Carlette Gentle, SCN, was also present present for the celebration in Mokama.

Cecilia Simick, SCN, shares the following from her mobile health clinic in Nepal:

Dear Friends,

Greetings! I am sharing some of the pictures of the mobile health camp conducted in the remote village of Jajarkot. Dr. Rita Bhandari who works with INF Surkhet was very supportive and dedicated in joining us in the care of the patients. We are grateful to her. During the monsoon season it is too difficult to be able to travel to these villages.

In the village Balua of Jajarkot District in Nepal, Dr. Rita Bhandari and our team team took care of 205 patients, some had to be referred to the hospital and rehabilitation center for further treatment. The ferry which was supposed to take us over the Bheri river was out of order so we had to cross over the hanging bridge and get another vehicle to the village. We had to fight with bed bugs and other creatures at night, but we also enjoyed fishing in Cheda river to cool ourselves after the hard and hot day’s work. Dogs and pigs too were swimming to cool themselves. We did have a great day and thank God for his care and protection all the way through.

The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth congratulate Presentation Academy’s students, faculty and staff for a very successful 2012-2013 school year! Director of Congregational Ministries, Sister Michelle Grgurich, is pictured with seniors Nikki Blanchard, Lexie VanHoover, Alex Hall, and Trang Le, as she hands out cookies, brownies, and ice cream during each lunch period on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. Presentation is thankful for the treats as well as the SCN’s ongoing support.

Rose Riley, SCN, formerly Sister Rose Bernard Riley, 75, a native of Bardstown, Ky., died at Carrico Hall, Nazareth, on May 6, 2013. She had been a Sister of Charity of Nazareth for 57 years. 

Sister Rose served in elementary and secondary education as teacher and principal in Kentucky and Indiana for 49 years. In Louisville, Sister served at St. Cecilia and St. Agnes Schools as teacher. She also served at Presentation Academy as teacher and Assistant Principal and as Principal of St. Thomas More School. Sister Rose served as part of the Coordinating Team at St. Louise Convent, Pittsburgh, Pa., from 2009-2013.

Survivors include two sisters, Mary B. Hall of Lexington, Ky., and Marie Flood of Columbia, Tenn.; four brothers, John and Joseph Riley of Bowling Green, Ky.,; Robert Riley of Cox’s Creek, Ky., and Bernard Riley of Nashville, Tenn. Sister is also survived by her religious community.