The immense sacrifices and dedicated services of the firsst four Italian sisters brought steady and speedy expansion of the mission in Bengal and other parts of our Motherland including Bangladesh. The enormous distance from one community to another situated in different states of India made it quite difficult for the Provincial Superior who resided at Krishnagar to visit the different communities. Calcutta seemed to be the ideal place for a link because of its railway and bus service. Another purpose was to have a house in Calcutta to reach out to people through the apostolate of education. With much struggle found a bungalow at 14/1 Convent Road from an English gentleman. The Sacred Heart Community was erected on 7th May 1942 with Sr. Teresa Galbiati as the Superior. A Kindergarten school catered to the education of the orphans as well as the children of the Anglo-Indian families of the locality.
In 1943, West Bengal suffered an appalling famine and the sisters in Convent Road witnessed the pathetic scenes around them. These were horrendous realities - dogs and vultures devouring the nearly dead, bones and bodies littered on the roadside. Wailing of children and feeble, mourning of dying ones echoed everywhere. Enforced prostitution, sale of children and even infanticide by desperate starving mothers were rampant. The sisters tried their best to assist although they were too few in number. They could hear the people crying, “Mother, don’t leave us alone. Only you can help us.” Sisters faced Hindu-Muslim riots in 1947 and in October 1967 and they opened the doors of the convent. About 3000 of the fleeing people took refuge. Sisters offered the little help they could and gave them shelter.
The Provincial Superior, Sr. Ernesta Del Corno was succeeded by Sr. Rose Minella. She began a Formation House for the Province of Bengal and Sacred Heart Novitiate was inaugurated with three postulants. Sr. Stanisla Merlo, the superior of Sacred Heart Convent was entrusted with the task of formation. In 1955, the K.G. school was raised to the primary level and due to lack of space it was shifted to 140 C.I.T. Road.
With the appointment of Sr. Patricia Erattupuzha as Provincial Superior in 1972 the Provincial House was transferred from Krishnagar to Sacred Heart Convent Calcutta, for easy accessibility to different communities. In September 1985 the Novitiate was shited to Barasat. In the course of years, Sacred Heart Convent building had undergone a lot of changes, additions and repair works. At last, the Provincial Superior Sr. Ines Anthraper got the permission to build the new building which got completed in 2007.
On the invitation of the then Archbishop of Calcutta, Rt. Rev. Lucas Sircar sdb., the province has accepted to administer “Christopher Day School’ affiliated to ICSE Board, in Kharagpore. Two sisters, who belong to Sacred Heart Convent, began their apostolate as the Principal and the Secretary of the school in 2011. They stay in the sisters’ quarters adjacent to the school. A private coaching facility is functioning for the street children, who attend other schools. The sisters take great care to teach them and also inculcate in them moral values.
Ever since the Sacred Heart Convent began functioning as the Provincialate, the community was entrusted with the service of hospitality, medical assistance and care of our sick sisters. The community extends its services and hospitality to priests, religious and relatives of the sisters.
Holy Child Institute, Kolkata-6, a five storied building in the heart of North Kolkata had gradual development to a reputed educational Institution through the past 75 years.
Holy Child Institute had a humble beginning when Sr. Guilia Cesati, a veteran missionary, approached Fr.Lawrence, a resident priest at Baitakhana Church and expressed her desire to open a school in North Calcutta. He was happy and found a small house at 34/1 Beadon street on rent. The community consisted of Sr.Constanza Anneli, Sr. Adele Casagrande, Sr.Immacolata Costatini, Sr.Theonila Battois and Sr.Rose Dal Pra. Sisters opened a kindergarten school on 9th January 1939. Sr. Rosina Pinto joined the team in the year 1939. In 1942 when the World War-II was strongly felt in Calcutta most of the people left the place. Most of the students too left the school; so the sisters also decided to leave the place. The sisters purchased a bungalow at 14/1 Convent road and shifted to the new premises on 7th May 1942.
In January 1944 our sisters rented another house at 32/1 Beadon Street and held Pre-primary and Primary classes, with sisters commuting daily from Convent road. Admissions was on the rise and the sisters had to look for a bigger building. They saw an abandoned red building at 20 Beadon Street. As it was considered a haunted house, trusting in God’s mighty protection and faith the red building was purchased on 9th January 1953 from Taraknath Baisi. On 17th June 1953 with great rejoicing the students, teachers and sisters entered the new premises of Holy Child Institute. The school was recognized by the Govt. as a junior High school in 1954. The first batch of students appeared for the school final exam in 1957 bringing good results. As the building could not accommodate both boys and girls, the boys were shifted to 3/2 A Duff lane in 1957. As this building was old and started falling, the boys section was shifted to Bhabataran Sankar Vidhyalay. Later, the sisters had to discontinue admitting the boys and the girls were taken to 20 Beadon Street. In 1976 the school was asked to have classes XI and XII. Holy Child Institute took only science and parascience stream in 2003.Due to inconvenience the primary section has to have classes in the morning. The school offers leadership training service, social exposure programs and educates the students about few other social concerns.
The Kristopur Mission which was about 20 Km. from North Calcutta was entrusted to the sisters of Holy Child Institute and this is discontinued now.
Holy Child Institute has its outreach program too. The Alumni association has helped the less privileged girls by starting an Evening School. Many of the children, the poorest of the locality and the drop outs too found solace here and they were eager to continue their studies. Some of them then continued in Govt. Schools whereas quite a few could be absorbed in Holy Child Institute. An Open School too was started and after some years it had to be discontinued.
The tailoring and embroidery section initiated by Sr. Adele Casagrande in 1939 helped many poor, unemployed girls. In the year 2009 we had to discontinue the same for want of girls who got chances to study in the Govt. schools. Holy Child Institute continues to be a Christian presence among the people of all faith radiating God’s compassionate love and mercy.
Setting up a school in the northern part of Kolkata ie, Beadon Street- did not quench the thirst of the sisters for the spread of education. Hence an English medium school for the orphans and Anglo-Indian children was started 14/1 C. Rd. The land for Holy Child Convent at 140, C.I.T. Road was purchased in 1958. The area being a sensitive one, the girls of the place were afraid to go out to attend schools which were far away from the site and many of them had dropped out. So at the request of Rev. Fr. John Henrichs S.J., the Parish Priest of St.Teresa’s Church, a Bengali medium school was started up to Class V in the sheds with tin roof. The English medium school for the students at Sacred Heart convent 14/1 Convent Road was also shifted to C.I.T Road in 1965.
Holy Child was blessed with a school building in 1967. Till then the sisters used to come daily from 14/1 Convent Road to conduct the classes. Then, in 1967, they began to occupy a part of the school building. Within a couple of years, it was absolutely necessary for the sisters to vacate rooms in order to house the steady inflow of students. The convent building was ready by the end of 1973 for the sisters to move in.
With the emphasis of education in the vernacular language for the benefit of the indigenous people, it was decided to discontinue the English section of the school from the academic year 1973. The Kindergarten English section, however, continued to function for few years more and presently it is discontinued.
Holy Child School was recognized as a Junior High School in 1974 and in January 1976 it obtained permanent recognition. Now it is a full grown Higher Secondary School.
The year 1970 was marked as the “International Year of the Child”. Keeping the ideals of St. Bartolomea, the sisters made a survey of the school locality, especially the slums, to discover the number of children not attending any school. That was the beginning of a full-fledged free primary school in the afternoon shift. The community opened its doors to large number of poor unemployed girls in 1972 to a Vocational Training Centre consisting of tailoring and knitting. After the completion of this course many have found jobs in garment shops while others are self employed.The healing ministry was taken up by the community when the ‘Health Centre’ with homoeopathic treatment was inaugurated in 1983. People from all walks of life flocked in. However, this apostolate is discontinued now. One of our sisters is rendering service as a warden in the Ladies’ Hostel in Calcutta run by the Catholic Association of Kerala.
Giving accommodation to poor tribal girls who hail from far off villages of West Bengal in the premises is a new venture the community has taken up in June, 2013. The community realized that Prison Ministry is the need of the hour. So, one sister has started serving in “Women’s Correctional Home” Alipore, since November, 2013. Sisters render various services in the parish in the way of teaching, SCC, and Liturgy. We hope to venture out into new ministries in the near future.
Archbishop of Calcutta, Most Rev. Lucas Sirkar SDB invited the sisters to Kharagpur for running Christopher Day School, an ICSE co-education school (Nursery – X) run by the Archdiocese and for pastoral services under St. Anthony’s parish church. Two sisters of Convent Road community namely Sr. Judith Puthenpura as Secretary and Sr. Roshni Monteiro as Principal of the school were delegated. They took up the work on 1st February, 2011. They resided in the convent accommodation in the school premises and joined their Kolkata community during vacations. On 22nd March 2015, the community – St. Joseph Nivas with three members –Sr. Elsy Vazhappilly, Sr.Clare Pinto and Sr. Nisha Puthussery Puthenpura - was erected with the approval of Archbishop Thomas D’Souza, the decree of erection being signed by Mother Anna Maria Vigano`.
St. Joseph Nivas is situated at Malancha Road, Kharagpur which falls under West Mednipur District of the state of West Bengal. The school is managed by the Archdiocese of Calcutta. Sisters render their service of education with an agreement with the Archbishop. The convent is placed in a residential area. Kharagpur being a Railway area many of the parents of the students are railway employees and belong to lower middle class families. People originally from southern states like Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh live and work along with people of Northern states paving way for an assortment of cultures and customs. By faith most are Hindus. The few catholic families in the vicinity, being far placed from the Parish church are more dependent on sisters for their faith formation and sacramental life.
Under the management of the sisters the school has picked up good standard, showcasing cent percent results in the Board Examinations as well as merit in non-academic activities. It is well appreciated by the local authority and the people. It has the strength of 1250 students and 41 staff members. Sisters take active part in parish council meetings, catechism classes and pastoral family visits.
little community, another pebble in the Province of Calcutta surges ahead to live and spread the Charism of charity of Sts.Bartolomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa and place ourselves under the ever shielding presence of Holy Infant Mary.
It was another red letter day for St.Joseph Nivas when the new convent block was inaugurated by his grace Archbishop Thomas D’Souza on 22nd of November 2016 in the presence of the Provincial superior Sr.Thresia John Madamana.
