India North

Brief history of the Province

The evolution of the Province:

Queen of Peace Province – India North, was born of the Mother Province, St Francis Xavier – India, and was named as the ‘North Delegation’ in 1982.  Later it grew to the status of  ‘Vice Province – India North’ in 1988. St Paul said “I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase”.  So too the Vice Province of India North slowly increased in its number of Sisters and Communities.  It was formally declared as a Province, Queen of Peace North India, on 1 January 1991 with 7 Houses, 92 Professed Sisters, 7 Novices and 3 Postulants.

The present scenario of the Province

Demography of the Province: At present there are 22 communities spread out in 8 States and serving in 9 Catholic Dioceses. The total number of Sisters is 128, of which 116 are finally professed Sisters and 12 temporarily professed. We also have 3 Novices, no Postulants and 15 Aspirants.

The Age Distribution of the Sisters as follows:

61 to above 80 years: 55 sisters;

41 to 60 years: 49 sisters;

25 to 40 years: 24 sisters.

Our Ministries of Charity:

Education:  – The Province has 7 Educational Institutions of which:

1 is a Primary School, 2 are growing High Schools and 4 are Inter Colleges.

The hallmark of Canossian Education is that it always prefers the poor and downtrodden of Society. It offers not only excellent academic Education but also Value Education and the total development of the person in the spiritual, psychological, physical, intellectual and social spheres.  At present about 12000 students are being educated in our schools. There are some 30 Sisters, together with about 310 lay teachers, involved in this Ministry of Education in our Schools. Moreover, about 13 Sisters are teaching in some of our Diocesan Schools.

Pastoral Care of the sick:  – The Province has 1 Maternity Hospital and 4 Health Centres. The Sisters in this Ministry are well-trained as Nurses, Administrators, Anaesthetists and Pharmacists and 1 Sister is a Doctor. There are also lay doctors and nurses who assist us in the Hospital and Health Centres.  Most of the patients are from villages and backward areas that are economically poor. Promoting life and holistic health is the aim of PCS. Besides medication, the Sisters also conduct Health and Hygiene Awareness Programmes in the villages. There are about 15 Sisters involved in the ministry of PCS.

Evangelization: – Being a part of the Church, we collaborate wholeheartedly in all the pastoral activities of the Parish such as the teaching Catechism, Youth Ministry, Small Christian Communities, Family Visits, animating Parish Associations, participating in Pastoral Council Meetings, and preparing children, youth and adults for the Sacraments. We promote harmony, peace and respect among different Religions, Sects and Castes through Interreligious Dialogue and Interreligious Prayers Services. In our Institutions, the students and teachers are offered Gospel Values and Moral Ethics as part of the curriculum.  Evangelization is a common thread that runs through all the Ministries.

Promotion of JPIC: The values of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation are promoted through Awareness Activities on the importance of saving our environment and leading an eco-friendly life. The Promotion of Women, Vocational Training for rural youth, Education for dropouts, feeding programmes for the under-nourished, Adult Education, Boarding facilities for tribal and poor students, etc. are the social empowerment activities by which the Sisters reach out to the under-privileged sectors of Society so dear to the heart of our Mother Foundress.

The Lay Canossian Association: The Province has 9 Lay Canossian groups in 9 communities. Monthly and annual programmes are organised as part of their formation. Regular meetings as well as planning & execution of various activities are done locally. They involve themselves wholeheartedly in all the activities in their respective Parishes.

Sito web: www.canossianindia.com