Sr M Rosia BS
Superior
Members of the Community
Convent building
Way of the Cross with the parishioners
Candidates with the Directresses
First Convention of Bethany Champions
Promotional School in the slum
Bethany had been pondering over the idea of shifting the North East Provincial House from Silchar to Guwahati for some years. For this purpose, the Provincial team acquired a plot of land measuring 2 acres and registered it on 14 October 1996. The help and guidance provided by the Archbishop Thomas and Fr Lukose, his secretary, are gratefully acknowledged by Bethany.
Sr Assumpta Maria and Sr Sushmita, the pioneers arrived at Guwahati on 1 August 1997 and were cordially welcomed and accommodated by the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC) at Sonaighuli. They spent a few months with them. Sr Assumpta Maria and Sr Sushmita started afresh their mission among the slum dwellers of Guwahati from Garchuk upto Fatasil Ambari and supervised the construction work of the Provincial House at Garchuk.
Fr. Luke Maniangat, the Parish Priest of Sonaighuli, was of great help in the initial stages. The CST Brothers extended their help in the repair work even to the extent of providing the required furniture. Such generosity and help from fellow missionaries made the two Sisters completely feel at home in the new environment.
The newly renovated house was blessed on 31 October 1997 by the Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil. Sr Assumpta Maria and Sr Sushmita occupied the house. In December of the same year, Sr Claudia joined the Community. The pioneers reached out to eight slums of Guwahati city and got them registered under the Municipality. At present we cater to 15 slums and have 16 promotional schools.
Catholic community of Garchuk has grown in leaps and bounds. We have a very good attendance of regular practising Catholics on Sundays.
On the insistence of the local people the sisters started an English Medium School on 28 January 2000. The community was canonically erected on 17 June 2000 with Sr. Felcy Tellis the Superior of the newly erected community and Headmistress of Bethany School. The School which started with 16 students in K.G. section is now a full fledged High School. Five batches of Cl. X students have passed out with 100 percent results.
The Community is attached to the Provincial House where the Provincial Superior, her Councilors and the Procurator reside. We have a formation house for candidates housed in the Provincial House. After Sr Felcy, Sr Therese Lagardo and Sr Claudius carried on the mission with vigour and vitality.
Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Province was held on a grand scale on the 30 May 2012. Sr. Wilberta our Superior General, and the Provincial Superiors from North, West, Bangalore and Southern Province along with their councilors were present.
The present community consists of Sr. Rosia the Superior, and 13 members and is very vibrant with various apostolates. Apart from the Educational Apostolate, the community caters to the less privileged from the neighbourhood through 14 promotional Schools, self help groups, tailoring classes, medical apostolate and prison ministry. ‘Come and See’ formation is also part of the community mission.
Year of establishment : 02.02.2000