In the year 1978 Most Rev. Arokiaswamy the archbishop of Bangalore invited our sisters to work in sumanahalli through Dr. Salafia (who did the Leprosy course in Fontillies and knew about the service of FSI) and the Montfort Fr. Michel Angelo was the director. The sisters accepted invitation to serve the Leprosy patients since it was the Charism of the Congregation.
The names of the pioneer sisters wereSr, Asuntha Herrero, Sr. Carmen Martin and Sr. Gloria Matthew joined little later in order to carry out the mission in Sumanahalli. In the beginning, for seven months sisters stayed in St. John’s Medical College, meanwhile the Convent was under construction. A new house was brought at Langford gardens; sisters from St. John shifted to Langford and continued to give their service at Sumanahalli Leprosy Centre.Finally on 26th February 1980 the Convent was innuagrated and sisters took full charge of the Medical care and the administration of the Sumanahalli Colony connected with General office Administration.
The Life of the sisters in the Community :
• We experience God as our source of life, a positive self image. Community prayer and personal prayer, Adoration, Rosary, recollections, Eucharist, Spiritual reading and Word of God, unites us together as one family.
• Fraternity is a gift which is filled with joy and gratitude and it is a vocation. We share our joys and sorrows by interacting one another during our Recreation and meals and different celebrations.
Mission:
• Ave maria home / Clinic
Activities of the center
• Participation in common programmes ( Anti leprosy day ,world disabled day , world Aids day )
• Women empowerment through self sustainability programmed
• Celebrations of festivals of different religioins
• rehabilitation
• occupational therapy
Services that are available
• Clinical care (wound dressing , medication and treatment)
• Resident care for leprosy and disabled
• Mobile camp and medical checkup for school children
• Conducting free camp services within the center and health check up
• Referral services to other hospital ,accompanying them and taking care of them
• Assisting in the administrative activities
Social pastoral activities:
• praying with patients
• faith sharing
• family counseling
• listening to the difficulties of the people
• youth counseling
• preparing the patients for their final journey with dignity
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