Ursuline Sisters Generalate Mangalore rise to help in Corona crises.

Mangaluru: The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters (UFS), the oldest established (1887) indigenous order of nuns in Mangalore; is dynamic in several modes and it reaches out substantially from their hundreds of institutions throughout India, through it’s many provinces, in this great war against the ‘Corona Pandemic’ sweeping the world and creating serious sufferings to most humans, specially the marginalized.

The Headquarters, ‘Generalate’ in Derlakatte here under the able leadership of Rev Sr Susheela Sequeira the Superior General of the Congregation has been guiding and monitoring the multi level efforts to sustain the marginalized, the stranded, the migrants and homeless in these times of crises too, when misery has been spreading rapidly. The serious efforts of various local congregations/convents, and so on is note worthy. Contributing in it’s own way the UFS ‘Genralate’ has performed various charitable sorties supported by donors and well wishers which have been noted and appreciated by all concerned. Here, on May 22nd was a special effort around their traditional base.

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To name the current immediate round of efforts:

1. On 9th April 2020 distribution of Food provision packages for households to 120 families of daily wage earners in and around Panir Parish, Derlakatte under Kotekar Panchayat. Each packet was valued at around Rs. 800/-
2. In collaboration with ‘Snehalaya Home’ for the destitute lunch packets were distributed to 300 migrant workers in Uppala-Manimunda in Kasargod Dist for 11 days in the month of April.
3. Several poor family clusters have been constantly helped with monetary and material support during lock-down and reassurance and council to these suffering groups went a long way to mitigate the stress and strain of the very troubling pandemic felt more by the least, last and lost.
4. On 22nd May, 2020, Friday forenoon, essential Food Provision kits/packages worth not less than Rs 780/- each for 140 fishermen families at Hoige Bazar, Bolar, Mangalore. This impoverished fishing residential colony of local and migrant labour along the Nethravathi River leading to the old Port here, the prime historic area where the Ursuline pioneers from earliest times commenced the UFS mission of mercy and up-liftment of the area which lead on to the formation and development of the Ursuline Franciscan sisters 133 years ago and where their first foundation house now a historic community museum, beside a social action center exists.

This generous distribution of 140 essential Food Provision kits/packages, was by Ursuline Franciscan Sisters of Generalate ‘ Somarpann’ Derlekatte in collaboration with the ‘Resource and Development Centre on Child Rights- a Social Action Center of the Ursuline Sisters at Bolar’ reached the 140 plus poor families of Hoige Bazar whose profession is fishing and boat maintenance. Since lockdown these people are unable to venture into the sea and make any alternate living. On feeling for their dire need and sufferings for food the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters (UFS) took this step to provide for the families essential Food and Provisions Kits. It was indeed a touching sights to see their eagerness and satisfied smiling faces on receiving concern and support. They expressed great joy and gratitude to the concerned sisters.

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In the forefront of this UFS effort are : Sr Milly Fernandes the Asst Superior General, Sr Lilly Pinto, Sr Juliana Pinto and Sr Lydia Serrao the Councillors General and Sr Pramila D’Cunha the Procurator General along with Sr Dulcine Crasta the Director of Resource and Development Center on Child Rights and Sr Celine D’Sa the the Asst.Director of the Resource Centre and their staff member Ms Vinitha Reema Luwis. These named took an active role in this merciful gesture to arrange and distributed the Kits to the people in the impoverished cluster of makeshift dwellings at Hoige Bazar area, off the main fishing jetty, near the local school and Dhoomavati Temple …. Few youth of this area helped the Sisters to collect the data of the families who are in dire need of food provision and the Sisters of St Ursula Convent, Bolar in preparing the Provision kits. The packages contained generously – Rice, Green gram, dried peas, sugar, beaten rice, Sooji/rava, cooking oil, masala ingredients, tea powder, onion, garlic, salt in needed quantity for a family. The recipients, mostly the lady of the house was called by name and presented the food kit to their great satisfaction and visible joy.

Such organisations have pooled in to mitigate the suffering of the marginalized who are unable to earn daily wages due to the lock down and support large families, which caused a whole brood of worry and trouble specially more for women and children. It is appreciated by public and authorities that such efforts have gone a long way to reassure and help lakhs of people all over India in this crises situation. The UFS congregation has been in the forefront of relief work all over the land.

-Forwarded By : Ivan Saldanha-Shet