“I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth. (Jer 1:6)” When I felt my vocation to be a Handmaid, I asked Jesus a similar question to that of Jeremiah. Am I mature enough to take a lifelong decision to be a Handmaid?  After three long years of prayer and discernment, at the age of twenty, when my parents started to look for a marriage proposal for me, I took a final decision, to join Handmaids. There I began my inner journey to find joy and fulfillment in my life. What attracted me most about the Handmaids was the adoration to the Blessed Sacrament. I was told by my formator, that our foundress St. Raphaela Mary used to say that   “For me adoring the Lord means He looks at me and I look at Him”. In the early years of my formation I did not know how to spent time in adoration that I began only looking at my first love- Jesus- in those silent hours   of adoration. It was my strength and this continued all throughout my last 25 years of religious life. The formation years were an inner journey to myself. In that journey, I discovered the depth of myself and also I was happy to explore to different languages and cultures.  Interpersonal relationships in the community and in the apostolate pointed out my strengths and weaknesses. This year being the year of the Consecrated, I complete 25 years of my joining to the Handmaids family. Though my life is a continuous search for fulfillment, today I can say that I am a happy and grateful Handmaid. When I look back to the years of my life as a Handmaid I can say like St. Paul- “God’s grace is sufficient for me”. I would like to narrate one of my experience in which I am confirmed the above words of St. Paul. Last year, it was few months after I joined in the school as a Counselor, I was sitting in my room, and it was about 10.30 am. Suddenly the Principal phoned me to say that there is an emergency and so I have to go to the office immediately.  When I entered the office, I saw a boy, aged 14, holding up his bleeding hand. The blood spread widely on his shirt and on the floor gave me a shiver on my knees. I was told that he cut his vein to end his life.  I found myself praying in my heart “Jesus I need your grace to deal with this situation”. It was my first such serious case that I have dealt with. I put my hands across his shoulder and I took him to my room and talked to him for a long time. I believe it was Jesus who gave me strength to give life to this boy. Before leaving my room, he promised me, that he will not do such actions anymore and he wants to live. After dealing with this boy I had to inform his mother who is a young widow. When I narrated to her what had happened to her son, she burst out weeping. It was very difficult to find the words to console her; it was only with the grace of Jesus I could help her out too.  It was really a challenging experience in which I encountered the powerful presence of Jesus in my life.  I believe that it was the grace of Jesus which called me to be His and still upholds me as His own. I thank Jesus for making me His instrument of life. I feel a sense of fulfillment and gratitude. I am deeply grateful to the Congregation who nurtured me all throughout these last 25 years of consecrated life as a Handmaid. I can tell my whole heart …”YOU HAVE TOUCHED ME AND I HAVE GROWN….”  Sr. Regeena Xavier aci.

Happy Birthday Sr.Regeena !!!

We, the four postulants, along with our Mistress set out to Ashagad in Palghar district for a 6 days mission experience with the Warly tribal. There we were based in a convent of FHIC Sisters. It was their mission area, where they welcomed us and were very much taking care of us to get all the possible experiences in those villages. It was indeed an enriching experience for all of us.
Our first day’s stay was in Khare village, which is 65 km away from Ashagad. It is an interior area where in some villages there is no electricity. The families live in small hamlets made of twigs, mud & cow dung. We were fortunate to stay with them in one of the families to experience the reality of their life. They lead a simple life style & they are content with what they have.
The following day we went to another village ‘Dongripada’ and stayed 2 days there with one of the families. They are constructing their house and we enjoyed there in bringing stones from the jungle. We were touched by their hospitality. In their nothingness they take much care to treat their guests well. Their community spirit and closeness to nature are lessons for us.
We visited the Jeeve Dhara Asharam School and boarding, where the tribal girls are studying. They are talented in arts and dance. We taught them a Hindi song and they learned it fast. Fr. Avellino SJ and Sr.Theresa FHIC gave us a talk on tribal people, their lives and Warly art. It was very informative. We also attended a wedding ceremony in one of the villages. Each of us wants to summarize these enriching experiences.

Ashna Joseph: A dream fulfilled with this mission experience. It is the discipline and respect for others which I see in the boarding students that struck me most. During my stay with the family, I felt one with them as I shared in their work, carrying cow dung to the field to prepare for the plantation. Being with the simple and humble people I experienced poverty of life.
Another joyful experience was to pray Rosary with the family where all the neighbors also joined. The families gave their best while we were with them. Their simplicity, generosity and sacrificial spirit touched me. Their loving and welcoming attitude made me feel at home with them and to enjoy my stay. Unity is their strength. I learned from their simplicity, sincerity and respect. United with each other, we can do many things, which will keep us happy and joyful always. I am grateful to God for this mission experience which gave me more value in my life.
Margaret Soreng: Staying in the families of Advasie s was a touching experience for me. I experienced God in them, in their simplicity, hospitality, love and care. Though their house consisted of a single room, they were generous enough to spare that room for us to sleep and they slept on the veranda. They provided us with sufficient warm clothes to cover ourselves and they did not have for themselves. The experiences I had while praying with them tells me “though they are poor, their hearts are very rich: rich in love”. Their kindness, hospitality and simplicity are an expression of this ‘rich love’ which they treasure.
Stella Kerketta: It was a beautiful experience with the simple hearted people in the villages. I felt happy to experience the love and care of the people. To spend the night in an open place, on a cold night was a frightening experience for me. But the family gave sufficient warm clothes to protect ourselves during the night. Joining them to dig, to carry water from the well, to collect stones for the construction of their house etc. was good and enjoyable. I saw the value of working together. I experienced God’s presence in the people and his love and care through the family where we stayed. They were very generous and hospitable people. They like to dress up in green, red and blue which symbolize prosperity, passion and nature. Though their lives are simple, their hearts are full of love and respect, which unites them as one.
Ayana B Mathew: Without much expectation, I ventured into this mission experience, which was a long awaited event in my life. My stay with the families made me realize that even though they are poor, they shared whatever they have. Even without language, I was able to converse in the language of love.
I am taken up by the simple, loving and generous nature of the people. Within a short time a small boy ‘Ruthik’ became friendly and at the time of leaving, he said ‘don’t go, stay here’.
I felt at home, staying with the families. Helping them in their work, bringing water on the head, digging the mud, collecting stones etc. were my first experiences in life, yet it was good and enriching for me.
The shared special prayer which we had with the Sisters at the end of our experience summed up all that we experienced during our memorable stay in Ashagad. It was an opportunity to thank God and the Sisters and to remember all with a grateful heart.

On 3oth January early morning all of us from  dilkhush community set out for a Pilgrimage to the Cathedral to enter into the Holy Door of Mercy. Sr.Margaret has prepared a special prayer with the significance of the Year of Mercy and theology of the Holy Door . All of us gathered in front of the Holy Name Cathedral and entered the door two by two. Fr.K.T Emmanuel Celebrated the Holy Eucharist for us. In His homily he again insisted the importance of the Extra Ordinary year of Jubilee, the meaning of the icon of Mercy and the spiritual and corporal works of Mercy.

Srs. Sunita and Sushmita renewed their vows devotionally. After the Eucharist Fr.Emmanuel treated us with a solemn breakfast in the Bishop’s house. All of us had a meaningful day and we enjoyed it.

The person of Jesus Christ is the source, meaning and goal of my consecrated life. I have come to this life because of Christ’s initiative. I am called like the apostles by Him and sent by Him to continue His work on earth. The image of a tree relate to three vows, chastity, poverty and obedience. Like the roots of a tree which fix it firmly in the ground only to exist for the nourishment of the tree and they unite in transmitting the necessary nourishment to the trunk, branches, leaves and fruits. So each day I get the nourishment to live these vows from the Eucharist. I am happy to be a consecrated person, much more to be a Handmaid. Because Eucharist is the centre of my life from where I draw courage, strength, life energy, enthusiasm and hope to live and face the challenges of life every day. By my consecration to Christ I commit myself to love and give myself like Christ; by living it I am trying to be more and more like Him -the “Yes” to the Father

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sr. Lizzie

      On 10th January 2016, most of the children from our villages and the hostel students participated in the Bal Melawa function organised at Palubudruk village. Kolad. We were around 300 altogether. The programme began with the lighting of the lamp and garlanding the photos of Nagaya Madhu Kathari,( the Kathkari freedoim fighter, ) Savithri bai Phule and Chacha Nehru. We welcomed the guest of honor and we had some speeches made by them. Sr. Kitty shared about our 25 years of our presence in Roha and the fruit of the hard work that we can see, has brought new Joy and Hope. The children from the villages, put of some dance, skit and speeches based on the environment, cleanliness, pollution and alcoholism. Yes , our children have made a great progress to speak in public, and they have built their self -confidence. The children had a sumptuous breakfast and the lunch prepared by the people of the village, The people of the village organized and spent money for the Pandol.  Also they appreciated the teachers, social workers and the snehavardhini sisters, with gifts and flowers. The children enjoyed the whole day and ended by dancing to the beats of the music. Each child received a gift and returned home happily.