Novitiate: There are five novices in the Novitiate of our region. Four are in the second year and one in the first. The second years go to Mother Theresa’s home to help out the inmates every Saturday. They say that it is a different experience to be with them and they are using different creativity to entertain the 34 inmates who are old, depressed and even some of them who are not in their proper sense. They organise games, singing, and also spend time talking to them and reaching out to their other needs. Other days they intensely help out in the play School. Once in a month they go out for the different talks at the Jesuit retreat house and other days they have classes at home based on the Novitiate time table. The second years are looking forward to go for the community experience in different communities of the region during the months of October and November.
Family ministry:As part of the family minister the sisters and the novices visit families every Sunday.
Play School: St.Raphaela Mary’s play school re-opened on 5th June 2017.The number of children enrolled for the new academic year was 11. But later, the number of children started to increase. Just last week 3 new admissions joined us. So now we have 18 children in the play school aged between 2-3 years old. What gives us happiness is that children love to come to our play school. Parents are happy that the children show interest to come to school even if they are sick.
We are trying to give our best to our children through audio visual teaching aids, nature visits, learning activity through play methods, yoga and physical exercises by using Japanese drill music. Even though the Children speak Konkani, Kannada or Tulu in their homes, they started to pick up few English words within a short period of time. The experience of being with little children in the play school is a joy, and sense of fulfillment, but it needs lots of patience. Sr. Regina says that she is happy to give her best to transmit the basics of education to these little ones.
St: Anne’s School Kelarai:
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
Sr. Dorethi Dabre, Started teaching in St. Anne’s English medium school, Kelarai. Neermarge, Mangalore, in year 2016. This year she is the class teacher of First Std, and teaching them English, Maths and E.V.S and for the second standard students she takes English. Also she is teaching the catechism for the students of 8th, 9th and 10th.
She says too be with the smaller children we need lots of patients, listening ears and need to enter in to their shoes. The experience of being with them she feels that they are very innocents and loving. And since she teach the catechism to the bier students she feels that it is totally different experience, she says that it gives her an opportunity to share her God experience to them and also enjoy sharing her faith at the same time listening to them and learning the bookish knowledge from the text books. She thanks the Lord for His abundant and merciful love.
Sr. Suvarna Fernandes Aci