“Since the Church is conditioned by the society in which it exists, there is still a great deal of gender inequality within it. Despite the progressive thinking of Vatican II, it is very difficult to undo historical biases overnight. Women religious need to do a lot of research to confront these biases.”This is what the newly elected superior general of the Ursulines of Mary Immaculate (UMI), Sister Elvira Mattappally, felt while speaking to this correspondent.
A postgraduate in science, Elvira also has a degree in theology from the prestigious Papal Seminary at Pune.
In response to a query about the continuing institutional growth of the Church in India, Sister Elvira said the running of institutions per se was secondary.
“What is important is that the mission of Christ continues through the spread of Kingdom values like love, justice, freedom and peace.”
She did not think that religious congregations run educational institutions only for the elite. They have now made a preferential option for the poor. Fee-levying schools are required to generate resources for other institutions that cater to the underprivileged. This calls for skilful financial management.
When queried about how the Medical Mission Sisters gave up the Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai, and the UMIs took it over, Sister Elvira said that it was a positive development, in which the local laity played a significant role.
But today, most of the sisters who are doctors are actually working in rural areas – like Sister Gesualda in Madhya Pradesh, and Sister Archana in Assam.
Almost all fee-levying English medium schools are now running parallel vernacular schools for the underprivileged, she said.
When the question of women’s priesthood was put to her, Sister Elvira was reluctant to answer. She said she respected the tradition of the Church; but she also recalled the words of centenarian theologian Jesuit Father Josef Neuner that there was no real theological objection to women being ordained priests.
The UMI congregation was founded in 1649 in Piacenza, Italy, by Mother Bridgetta Morrello, to work for women’s emancipation. The UMIs first came to India in Calicut (Kozhikode) in Kerala in 1934. Their first house was in Cannanore (Kannur) where they established schools and orphanages for the poor and needy. Medical care was their next step.
They moved north to Kanpur in Allahabad diocese, in 1955. St. Patrick’s Convent was their first northern mission. Today, the maximum number of institutions are in UP; though of late they have branched out to Assam and Himachal Pradesh.
The maximum number of sisters today are also Indian – 700 out of the total strength of 800. Vocations from Italy dried up years ago. A few are now coming from Brazil and east Africa.
One of the most amazing missions is in the Muslim majority Libya. The Vatican had requested the sisters to work in a government hospital there.
Apparently, Libyan strongman Gaddaffi’s wife was helped by an Italian Sister in her time of need. For this Gaddaffi was ever grateful. He, therefore, grants permission for anything that the Sister asks for.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
SIC: InCa