Sr M Rekha Lobo BS
Superior
Members of the Community
Convent building
Social Apostolate
Hostel Ministry
Social work - Jeevandhra
Bethany Lay Association
Santa Cruz Convent in Kulshekar enfolds virtually everything that represents Bethany heritage of sweat of the pioneer Sisters, rooted in the spirit and Charism of Bethany, vibrant community life, varied apostolate and the loving brothers and sisters in the locality. Good climatic conditions, magnificent school buildings, celestial chapel, cheerful faces of the sisters in the community, endless buzz of the little ones in the classrooms, the bubbling life of the children in the playground, streaking traffic of cosmopolitan living, towering coconut trees in the compound and the abundance of nature make this abode a big bustling, friendly paradise on earth.
The community reminisces the laughter and the tears, pain and the struggles of Sisters Zita, Marianne Gonzaga, Dolores and Celine along with two postulants Helen Pinto and Mary Quadros who daily walked from Bethany Mother House to teach in St Joseph’s elementary school of Holy Cross Parish in Kulshekar occupying a part of the small dwindling school building of St Joseph’s Elementary School. They formed a community on 9th June 1932 with Sr Zita being the superior of the convent.
A community was opened by Mother Martha, the Superior General of Bethany in response to the appeals of Rev Fr Francis S DSouza the parish priest of Kulshekar, with the blessings of Most Rev. Victor R Fernandes, the Bishop of Mangalore, to Fr Founder MGR RFC Mascarenhas. Sr Clare, one of the pioneers of Bethany Congregation took charge of St Joseph’s Elementary School as the first Headmistress on 31st May 1931. Sacred Hearts’ High school was taken up in 1930. Infant Mary’s orphanage was started on 8th may 1943.
The Sisters of Santa Cruz are mainly engaged in educational apostolate, orphanage, social work, pastoral work and prison ministry. Few sisters are in Social work, a few more in the apostolate of prayer and suffering due to ill health. Some are students busy studying and some others are occupied in keeping the house and the garden.
Enthused by the Founder’s vision and missionary zeal, his love and compassion for the less privileged specially the young girls and women deprived of opportunities, Jeevandhara Social Service Centre was started in the year 1998 in Santa Cruz Convent premises.
The Bethany community College is a new shoot of Jeevandhara Social Service Trust started on 1st August 2006, which caters to the empowerment of the disadvantaged and the underprivileged boys and girls through appropriate skill development and leading to gainful employment. It provides job oriented, work related, skill based and life coping education. Presently the Centre offers tailoring, beautician, spoken English and embroidery. Nearly 120 students attend these courses. The women empowerment programmes as well as tapping the Government schemes are being done.
The vision of Fr Founder Mgr RFC Mascarenchas and the Founding members to give value based education to the rural girls has become a passion for the Sisters at Santa Cruz as they move forward thankfully for the blessings of the past. Hiding the endless travails on the way they remain saying ‘yes’ to the future that beckons…..
Superiors: Sr M Zita, Sr Clare, Sr Annunciata, Sr Marianne, Sr Aloysia, Sr Macra, Sr Raphael, Sr Oliva, Sr Hilaria, Sr Veera, Sr Theodora, Sr Concetta, Sr Roselyta, Sr Grace Ida, Sr Edward, Sr Virginia, Sr Denzil, Sr. Leera Maria, Sr Divina, Sr Lisa, Sr Agnes Mary, Sr Anna Maria and at present Sr M Rekha Lobo BS .
Year of establishment : 09.06.1932