100 YEARS OF FMA PRESENCE IN INDIA CELEBRATED

Celebrating 100 years of FMA (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians known as Salesian sisters of Don Bosco) presence in India, the Salesian sisters organized a programme to make the occasion at Mazzarello Study Home, Kuda A, Nagarjan, Dimapur on Sunday 7th August 2022.

Highlighting the journey of the FMA, Former Provincial of NE India, Sister Ivy D' Suoza said that the FMA has a pioneering history of 99 years in North East India, the first foundation being initiated at St.Mary's Guwahati on 8th December 1923. The 2 provinces of Shillong and Guwahati have over 600 Sisters of whom about 500 are local vocations from the North East, working in 70 centers in the 7 states of North East India, she maintained. In keeping with our charism, we work for the Christian education of girls and young women and besides schools, colleges, hostels, and boarding houses we have rehabilitation centers for drug addicts, alcoholics, and HIV- AIDS patients, Homes for street children, and Development centers exclusively for vocational and professional training, she informed.

Sister Ivy D' Suoza was optimistic that the celebration of the event marks a rebirth and reawakening of vocational and missionary freshness in every Daughter of Mary Help of Christians.

During the solemn occasion, the first 8 new Cooperators of the FMA Unit of Dimapur made their promises during the Eucharistic celebration and were accepted as official members of the Association of the Salesian Cooperators.

Fr. Nazarius Lakra SDB, Vice Provincial Province of Dimapur, presided over the Eucharistic celebration.

Amongst others, Fr. P.M.John, Parish Priest, Holy Cross Dimapur, Fr. Issac Baptist Rodrigues Provincial delegate, Capuchin Region of Nagaland, Cooperators, and well-wishers attended the historic celebration.

(DPRO Dimapur)