The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco of the Province of Guwahati are all set for the opening of the Centenary Year of their presence in North East India on 8 December 2022 at St Mary’s, Guwahati. The significant day will be marked by the dedication of the Shrine of St Mary Mazzarello, Co-foundress of the Institute.

The function will be officiated by Dr John Moolachira, Archbishop of Guwahati, in the presence of Sr Alphonsa Kurisingal, FMA, Head of the Salesian Sisters of the Province of Guwahati, heads of the 38 centres in which they run and other dignitaries and collaborators of the Salesian Sisters.

It will commence with the hoisting of the centenary flag, followed by the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Dr John Moolachira. After the Eucharistic celebration, a short presentation on the life of St Mary Mazzarello will be displayed by the young women in religious formation, taking one back to the origin and the cradle of the Institute to reminiscence and recall the source of the true spirit and dynamism of the Institute.

The six pioneers from Italy, namely, Sr Innocenza Vallino, the leader of the group, Sr Giulia Berra, Sr Maria Bricarello, Sr Clotilde Appiano, Sr Antonietta Rosetti and Sr Cecilia Da Roit arrived in Guwahati on 8 December 1923. The gigantic growth of today’s educational mission in the North East had its humble beginnings in a dilapidated cottage on the premises of Don Bosco, Pan Bazar, Guwahati.

The initial mission was accompanied by various challenges and difficulties: the dearth of personnel, financial constraints, inclement weather conditions, rampant epidemics, poor infrastructure, dire poverty, untimely deaths, lack of medical facilities and prevalent illiteracy.

Notwithstanding the inherent obstacles and privations encountered, the pioneers threw themselves, heart and soul, into their mission, and even before they were well acquainted with Assamese, English and Hindi, they launched into village apostolate, hospital ministry, orphanages, vocational training schools, schools in English, Assamese and Hindi medium and formation of past pupils’ association. The trailblazers had an unfailing trust in divine providence and possessed unflagging courage to respond to the urgent needs of the children and young people.

The Institute had its birth on 5 August 1872 in Mornese, Italy, with eleven young women who dedicated themselves to God by their religious professions. Today, it has spread to all the continents of the world with more than 11,000 members, 74 provinces and five vice-Provinces. Sr Mary Mazzarello, the first Superior General and the first Sisters of Mornese lived Don Bosco’s Charism, namely, the salvific mission of Christ, in creative fidelity through Christian education for the salvation of young people according to the signs of the time.

The tiny seed of the Charism sown 100 years ago in the North East bore abundant fruits giving birth to three provinces: Shillong, Kolkata and Guwahati.

The Province of Guwahati of the Salesian Sisters was formed on 24 February 2000. Under the able leadership of Sr Lucy Rose Ozhukayil, the first Head and her successors, the Late Sr Teresa Puthempurakel, Sr. Elizabeth George and currently, Sr Alphonsa Kurisingal, the life and mission of the province continue to grow from strength to strength. The Province has today 38 centres in the four states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland, with 291 Sisters.

The educational and developmental ministry for the integral growth and holistic formation of young people, women and children ranges from formal to non-formal education: schools and colleges, day and evening schools for neighbourhood and domestic workers, coaching centres, vocational training centres, oratories and youth centres, NIOS, CFG (Child Friendly Guwahati), neighbourhood children’s parliament, hostel and boarding houses, a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts and HIV patients, homes for street children, literacy programme centres, computer centres, family and prison ministry, village apostolate, pastoral services, self-help groups and income-generating activities, nature care ministry as well as networking.

Thousands of girls who have passed through the portals of the institutions stand tall in society today as living testimonies to the reliability of an educative method that was integral and holistic. The human values inculcated in them during their years of schooling in their alma mater stand in good stead as they seek to become wholesome leaven in society. The Sisters, ever conscious of the complex nature of education today, strive to keep up the standard of their institutions as sacred temples of learning, grooming and living.

The inauguration of the Centenary Year will be a propitious occasion for every Salesian Sister to continue to live her identity as an educator of young people with renewed enthusiasm and educational passion.

Promotional | KRC Foundation