A DREAM BEING REALIZED...
The Pioneers - The Angels of Charity on Indian soil
Engraved in gold are these names in the history of St. Ann's in India Sr. Francisca Feer, Sr. Elizebeth Affentranger, Sr. Catherine Mueller and Sr. Magdalene Wicky,
for they gave birth to this entity. When the dream of the Founder to go into mission was disclosed, among the sixty Sisters who volunteered, these four were selected. They dared to cross the ocean, to the Indian soil embracing a new culture to give new life and hope to the hopeless. For the young Sisters, the whole undertaking was a sacred adventure. Being aware of the struggles and difficulties waiting in an unknown land, freely and willingly, with the readiness to sacrifice themselves at the service of the needy, they bowed to the will of God. The words of the Founder, "Pluck the spirit of sacrifice from the Sisters of St.Ann and you may as well put the tomb stone over their grave" was imprinted in their hearts. A deep and selfless love of God motivated them to say 'yes' to the call. They found God in the face of the poor and needy and served them with great compassion. Wherever they went, they carried the flame of God's love with great generosity and became one with the people.
So deep was their commitment.
So wide was their vision...
So great was their trust in God...
So strong was the foundation laid by them...
Even today we enjoy the fruit of their hard work.
The spirit of the Founder and the commitment of the pioneers continue to rest upon us today making Jesus present to the needy.
Mother Elizabeth
(Pioneer of Indian Mission and the 2nd Regional Superior of India 1954-1969)
Marie who later became Mother Elizabeth, was born on Dec. 1, 1901 in Switzerland. At the age of 21, she entered the Society and made it her profession in 1924. Her outstanding qualities of leadership were immediately noticed by Mother Dormann and she was chosen to be one of the pioneers for the Indian Mission. At first, she rendered nursing care in Golden Rock Hospital, Trichy, for eight months and later at Government Hospital, Machilipatnam as the Matron. The hardships she endured moulded her into a courageous and daring person with a determined spirit, to face challenges of every kind. Excerpts from her letter dated 1928: "... Though I am separated from the other three Sisters, I am not home sick... Whoever has seen such poverty as I have seen in such a short time, would not dream of going back home. Everywhere the Lord is present and it is for Him we serve the poor" shows her love of the mission.
A woman of valour:
While working in Machilipatnam, she desired to have a hospital of her own. Impressed by the service of the Sisters, the authorities offered a strip of land along the Bandar Canal at Vijayawada. She, along with her Sisters, built it brick by brick struggling against all odds and insurmountable hurdles. The dream was realized in 1940 when the hospital was blessed and inaugurated. Soon to follow was a nurses' training school and she was the first teacher. Her service to the suffering humanity received high recognition from the then British Government and she was given the "Kaisari Hind Medal." Sr.Elizabeth was a woman of action as well as a great visionary. In 1943, along with St.Dr.Mary Glowry JM), she founded the Catholic Hospital Association of India. In 1954, she was appointed Regional Superior of the Society in India. During her tenure, so called the 19 years of golden era, many are the causes she espoused and many are the hospitals, health centers and educational institutions she has built, all of which testify to her matchless service to humankind. She was a great leader and diplomat, and yet broadminded and generous. Possessing a personality that is endearingly informal and persuasively commanding, she had done things at their best. A trained nurse, she was an architect planning and constructing the new foundations. For the Sisters, she was a well beloved and revered mother. With gentle smile and warm embrace, she cared for the Sisters. Her firm spirit, tireless service and intelligent approach to problems shaped the destiny of the Congregation in India. She continued to be active until she suffered a stroke in 1989. The great saga of this valiant woman, who served the people in India for 72 years, came to an end on February 9, 1996 at the age of 95. Her birthday is commemorated as the 'Health care day' in all our health care institutions. The Society continues its onward march building upon the strong foundation laid by our revered and beloved Mother.
Mother Francisca
(Pioneer of Indian Mission and Patron of Education Apostolate)
Francisca was bom on March 25, 1899 at Rain, Canton Luzern. Endowed with the qualities of sensitivity, compassion, self sacrifice and love, she heard God calling her for a higher purpose. She joined the Society on July 30, 1922, and made her commitment on June 21, 1925. As the call for volunteers for mission came, she was prompt in responding Mother Dormann recognized in her the right blend of spirit and aptitude for the great and demanding tasks of the mission. After the initial language study, she took up nursing care in the Government hospital at Rajahmundry. She plunged into the miserable life of the poor. Often night shelter was the bullock cart in which she traveled. Many a time she was out with a medical kit unmindful of whether it was day or night. She wrote:
"... Knowing the pricelessness of a single soul, I don't mind to have come to India even for just one soul... While carrying out our duties we try to keep in mind that our main aim is to bring people to the reality of the only one God"
Under the leadership of Mother Francisca, an old house was purchased in Bheemunipatnam in 1930; and after some modifications it became the first house of the Sisters in India- the Mother house of the Mission. Her motherly heart soon recognized the plight of many poor and orphaned children and started an orphanage. Knowing that education alone can transform the lives of those poor children, she took the daring step of establishing a school; thus the education ministry of the Society was born. It was Mother Francisca who took the initiative to promote local vocations. The life of Mother was a life of selfless giving. She lived heroically, loved gently, and served tirelessly. She was deeply spiritual and spent long hours in prayer before the Eucharistic Lord. Her saintly soul flew back quietly to her Lord at the age of 77 on January 1976. An unpretentious little woman with a big heart carved out a niche for herself in the hearts of her Sisters with her motherly love, gentle spirit and her love for the poor.
Mother Walburga Schmid
(First Regional Superior, India 1947-1954)
She came to India on October 19, 1932, and worked in India for 49 years. Soon after her arrival, she worked in the Government hospital, Machilipatnam and in 1945, she started a hospital in Jaggayyapet, Andhra Pradesh. Recognizing her outstanding qualities, in the year 1947, she was elected as the first Regional Superior of India. She expanded the Indian mission far and wide till 1954. After her term, her life rolled around Jaggayyapet. She started a Telugu medium school for the poor and an orphanage. She was down to earth in humanness, was a woman of simplicity, a profound thinker, deeply religious, self sacrificing and a soul for the down trodden. The poor found shelter in her. After her tireless service she was called for her eternal reward on May 16, 1981.
Mother Rosa Maise
(Third Regional Superior, India, 1969-1981)
Reaching India on December 5, 1935, she rendered her committed service in St. Ann's hospital, Kondapally and at St. Ann's hospital, Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh. In the year 1969, acknowledging her rare qualities of love for mission, she was elected as the third Regional Superior. For 12 years, she toiled for the expansion of the mission in India During her term of office, educational apostolate took its momentum. She was very kind and sympathetic towards the poor and a real mother to her Sisters. She was successful in her work because of her simplicity and gentle approach. Her fine attitude of "Never hurting anyone" magnetized everyone. In the Year 1998, she was called to eternity.
Sr. Paula Graf
Smile is the Star of her face....
Love is the Tune of her Heart...
Trust in God is the Melody of her soul....
Committed service is the Mark of her life...
Sr. Paula is the only Swiss missionary alive in our midst today reminding us of the dedicated service rendered by our 34 Swiss pioneers. A person with pauline spirituality took a daring step at the age of 27 to serve the people of India and came to India on January 21, 1948. She established a hospital in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu and worked as the Superior and Administrator of St.Ann's hospital, Vijaywada. She is a person of few words, gentle, multitalented and a personification of Angel of Charity; a mother to many orphans and one who gave them bright future. Though old but young in mind, she carries with her the flame of compassion in service. She brings alive to us the spirit of our founder and the meaning of missionary life. Lovingly called by everyone as "Periamma", at the age of 87, she still inspires us with her disciplinary, calm and composed life.
Sr. Beatrice Pazhayattil (The first Indian Sister)
Theresa was born on December 21, 1917 at Ashtamchira, Trichur District, Kerala. Being very brilliant and gifted, she excelled in her studies. Aspiring her to become a doctor, her parents sent her to Ghosha hospital, Visakhapatnam for clinical experience. God's ways are indeed mysterious. The miracle happened as she accompanied Sr. Louise SAS to attend a funeral service of one of the Sisters who died untimely in Bheemunipatnam. It is at this juncture that the Lord's call came to our beloved Sr. Beatrice and touched her inner most being. The seed that sprouted at that moment in her heart, gripped her so much that she wanted to join this Congregation. In spite of all the oppositions and hurdles, which glared at her from different angles, she dared to venture into the unknown future. She became the first Indian missionary of our Society and her joining paved the way for a number of young girls including her own sister Rose Mary
Being the first flower of St. Ann's Society on Indian soil, she bloomed as a competent teacher from 1939 to 1964. She was efficient and well versed in moulding the youngsters and thus, she was made novice mistress from 1964 to 1983. Her orderly and systematic, well-disciplined life mirrored in all aspects of her life especially in her intimate union with the Lord, in her leadership and her generous service to the poor. Sisters looked up to her always as a role model. The initial enthusiasm, zeal and cheerfulness were very much alive even in the evening of her life. At the ripe old age of 89, in the praying company of her dear Sisters, she breathed her last on April 4, 2006.