Appreciations

It is difficult to imagine that one year has passed since you were called to eternal glory. Although you left us physically on January 9, 2007, we feel that you still continue to guide us spiritually from your heavenly abode.

As a precious mother of five sons and one daughter, you together with our beloved father, nourished and educated us in a truly Catholic background amidst economic and other hardships. Your beloved mother (our grandmother) who too was a devout Catholic was there with you as a tower of strength to assist in managing our large family. Both you and Father, who reposed utmost faith in God, always submitted to God’s will and nurtured us in a religious background to make us God fearing, disciplined citizens.

We cannot forget those childhood days, when you woke us up early morning to go to daily Mass; reminded us to recite the evening ‘Angelus’ and gathered us thereafter in front of the dedicated picture of the Sacred Heart to recite the Holy Rosary and other prayers as a family, before dinner. You facilitated unity in our family by seeing that we always enjoyed our meals together, around the same table.

Whenever, we as boys got into scuffles or misunderstandings with our schoolmates or neighbours, you never blamed the other party but found fault with us, as you and Father always believed that parents should first correct their children before trying to correct other’s children. You were very particular in seeing us wearing a ‘Miraculous Medal’ around our neck and carrying a copy of the’ Prayer of the holy Crib’ on our person as instruments of holy protection against evil. It was one of your hobbies to neatly fold and seal copies of this powerful prayer in polythene and distribute them freely among known people in the area. In return for the religious upbringing and education you gave us in a Catholic school, our heavenly Father rewarded you with the rare privilege of becoming the mother of a Catholic priest who became a Most Rev. Bishop in 1997.

After the rest of us in the family got married and started life on our own, you still continued to render that spiritual guidance. Among several other matters, never did you fail to remind us about the important days in the Christian calendar. It was you who refreshed our memory on socially important days such as birthdays and wedding anniversaries of our kith and kin.

As an active parishioner and member of the Sacred Heart Society you helped several needy persons in the parish. Whenever we had a family occasion that merited celebration by Holy Mass, we depended on you to prepare the ‘Prayers of the faithful’. For us, you were the epitome of common sense, simplicity, humility, calmness and Christian devotion. By such exemplary life, you taught us to be calm, humble, polite, courteous, grateful and generous towards the needy. Your pleasant smile and caring approach made you a model Christian mother looked upon with awe by your neighbours, relatives and parishioners alike.

You nourished our hearts and souls