By Sr. Molly Fernandes SFN
When I visited Israel, the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus began his mission proclaiming the Kingdom of God, reminded me of the hill of Sancoale on which Fr. Faustino de Souza, laid the foundation of the First indigenous Congregation of the Archdiocese of Goa, Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth, Sancoale – Goa, when there were no religious in Goa due to the ban. As in 1833, King Dom Pedro of Portugal ordered the suppression of all religious institutes in his dominions. But a decisive change in the situation came in 1928 with the rise of Salzar and the “Estado Novo” .
Yes, for me it is the Mount of Beatitudes from where the Holy Family Sisters spread its wings to most of the Talukas in the outskirts villages of Goa. Be it Canacona, Bardez, Ilhas, Marmugoa, Salcete and gradually to Pernnem and Ponda. The Congregation of the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth, was founded on the 16th June, 1935, by Fr. Faustino de Souza, a zealous diocesan priest, pastor of the parish of Sancoale, Goa, having proved his mantle at Duler as a chaplain for long 11years. It was from Duler the place actually where he first sowed the seeds by sending two candidates to Mangalore 1928 but the time had not yet come.
Fr Faustino de Souza, who was a very zealous priest and a great visionary, seized this opportunity to move towards the execution of a cherished project that he had been harbouring in his mind and heart – for a number of years, that of the foundation of a new religious institute in the land of his birth.
Accordingly, he asked his Archbishop Patriarch Dom Theotonio Viereira de Castro, permission to take the necessary steps towards the realization of his dream. Encouraged by the approval of his Prelate, he then approached the Superior General of the Bethany Sisters of Mangalore. He requested her to accept the first candidates of the nascent Congregation to be trained in the novitiate of the Bethany Sisters and formed to the religious life there the request received a favourable reply.
Three young girls then proceeded to Mangalore to begin their training under the Bethany Sisters. They were Estelita Coutinho (Mother Josephine) from Corlim-Mapusa, Abelina Braganza (Mother Joana) from Mapusa and Sabina D’Souza (Mother Nativity) from Duler, Mapusa. A fourth one, Assuciana Silveira (Mother Edith) from Tivim, joined them soon. On 16th June 1935, they arrived from Mangalore, along with Msgr. Raymond Mascarenhas and the Bethany Sisters, who generously continued to attend to their formation in Goa in the ancestral house of the Saint Joseph Vaz, in Sancoale. 16th June 1935 – a memorable day in the annals of the Congregation.
As the Sisters marked the 87th Foundation Day, the day was celebrated with Eucharistic celebration and thanksgiving services in the Convents, Schools and Social Centres, glorifying God for his mercy, benevolence and manifold blessings. After the Eucharist, our Founder was honoured with the garlanding of his Bust and sharing of our joys by cutting the Day’s Cake!
The Holy Family Communication Centre released its quarterly magazine ‘Savera’ at the hand of Rev. Sr. Berna Rodrigues sfn, the Superior General, at its headquarters in the presence of Rev. Fr. Peter Fernandes, the Assistant of Sancoale Church, the Sisters and our Boarders.
The day was also marked by St. Michael’s Convent High School, Anjuna’ ‘Diamond Jubilee’ celebration with the opening ceremony – ‘Rededicating a glorious past, to a radiant future’ with the logo-Glorifying Supernova!
These long eight decades of growth in the vineyard of the Lord were decades of trusting in Divine Providence, walking in faith, walking together in collaboration, participating in the joys and sorrows of the people of God we are called to serve through the different ministries for a greater mission in thanksgiving and gratitude being united to Jesus, the true Vine.