Coromandel

Fr. Alfred Mascarenhas, the Parish Priest, was running a primary school on the verandah of his presbytery. He requested Mother Angela Marie, the Superior of Champion Reefs, to spare the services of the Sisters for his parish. Soon she arranged to send Srs. Mary Celine and Mary Agatha to work in Coromandel from June 1943.

The Sisters travelled by train daily; sometimes by a ‘ Tonga ’ ( horse cart ); at other times they walked.

The priest and his people were anxious to have the Sisters reside in the church compound. The Diocese offered to build a house for the Sisters. Soon the building of the convent was ready. Archbishop Thomas Pothacamury blessed the new Convent on 1st October 1944. The Sisters moved in, the same day. Srs. Maria Louisa ( Superior ), Immaculate Conception, Mary Valentine and Mary Bernard formed the community.

The strength of the school increased ; New classes and sections were opened. The parish hall, the presbytery, verandahs, the Church annex, St. Anthony’s Shrine and the convent verandah – all served as classrooms. The Sisters prayed and put their heads together to find ways to put up classrooms. This became a reality with the support of the parish priest, the parish committee and the people. Thus the community and the school buildings camp up, which provided better facilities for the mission.

Though the Sisters and the Parish Priest very much wanted to upgrade this school into a high school, due to several difficulties the school remained only a Higher Primary School. However, the Sisters tried their best to help the dropouts and the youth. They opened a technical school for typing and shorthand. The Institute is named ‘ Saral Niketan ’. The certificate course, which the students complete here, helps them to secure a job.

Gallery