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A Tribute to a Pioneer Nun

Opinion | Articles | Benjamin Chang | 13-Aug-2022

Our family joined the Catholic Church in 1988, when Lt. Rev. Sr. Blessilia was serving as the Superior of Tuensang Convent. My mother was serious about our new-found faith. She was quick to pick up the prayers and songs. We had evening rosary service every day in English. We really prayed much as a family and talked a whole lot about our faith. Everything went on smooth. We were all very happy but in 1990, when I was in class III, I suffered from dysentery for months and became thinner by the day as I seemed to have lost my appetite almost permanently. Reduced to skin and bones, everyone thought my end was approaching. Even as I resigned to my fate, Lay Sr. Alexandra and Convent Sisters visited me regularly with medicines, and prayed for me. Besides the sisters, other people visited and prayed for me too. A miracle of sort happened, and I started regaining strength, though it took months to fully recover. Since then, I remained thin structured, but never suffered from major illnesses. The Catholic community’s prayer was heard, as the Lord perhaps wanted me to serve his people.

In 1991, when I was in Class IV, Rev. Sr. Blessilia prepared 12 of us for Holy Communion, which I took seriously. We were told that we would henceforth be receiving the Body and blood of Jesus Christ. My elder brother too told me how the Body and Blood of Christ simply melted on his tongue, therefore I was eager to experience it. Thus, with the administering of the first Holy Communion, my long wait and disappointments of returning home with receiving Christ ended. My commitment to the Church grew further; I was a regular altar server. Lt. Rev. Sr. Blessilia was the mother-figure for my spiritual growth.

At the invitation of Lt. Most Rev. Hubert D’Rosario, the then Bishop of Dibrugarh, the challenging step was taken by Christ Raj Province of Palia in sending six pioneering members to Hundung, Ukhrul in 1965. Again on the invitation of Mr. Akum Imlong, the then External Minister for Tuensang Affairs, the second house in North-East was opened on 28th Feb, 1967 at Tuensang Town. Rev. Fr. P.C. Mani together with five Adoration sisters: namely Sr. Epephrasia, Sr. Rose Teresa, Sr. Blessilia, Sr. Cicily Kattakayam and Sr. Therese took charge of the Tuensang Mission and St. John’s school. And thus, St. Thomas Church became the first Diocesan Catholic Mission Centre to be opened in Nagaland, also the third Catholic Mission Centre of Nagaland after Kohima and Lakhuti Catholic Mission Centres’.

In 1967, it had been decades since the white people had stopped venturing into Tuensang area. Indian forces had come in and they were finding it hard in taming the Naga Nationalist. For the first couple of years, the armies thought the fathers and sisters were behind the Naga National Movement and the people thought that they were some kind of an Indian Army spy. So, for some years in Tuensang, they didn't know who was going to harm them first. Although they could afford to be living a comfortable life in other area, they chose to be with the most vulnerable, poor and marginalized members of the society. The pioneer fathers and sisters made long-term personal sacrifices in order to serve the interests, needs and cause of the people of Tuensang Area. They went to so many villages under Tuensang district on foot as, in those years most of the villages were not connected by roads. Today, the people of, the then whole Tuensang District is able to enjoy the fruits of the hard labour of the committed people.

Elderly Sisters, like Lt. Rev. Sr. Blessilia who worked in Tuensang often narrated how they had visited so many families who were non-Christians. Those years there were so many families who were still following traditional religions. They often visited Tuensang Village to attend to the needs of the sick and the elderly who were left back in the village. Most of the villagers worked and slept in the far off Jhum fields. There had been occasions where the sisters had to baptize a non-Christian at the hour of dead.

On 16th March 1972, Sr. Blessilia SABS and Sr. Celine Martin SABS joined Rev. Fr. Castelino S.J. in starting Loyola School at Kiphire Town. Late Rt. Rev. Abraham appointed Rev. Fr. Devassy as the Priest In-Charge of Tobu Mission in September 1975. Here again, on 25thJanuary, 1976, Rev. Fr. Devassy along with Sr. Blessilia SABS and Sr. Sebia SABS reached Tobu to do the immediate preparation for the opening of the Catholic Mission at Tobu.

The pioneering works of the missionaries are praise worthy. The fathers and sisters took up great challenges and risks in promoting the Catholic Faith. The inclement weather, the opposition and spreading false notions about the Catholic Faith by some of the Early Baptist Brethren, lack of communication facilities, the Spirit of Naga Nationalism and hatred for the Indians, etc. were some major impediments. The first Indo-Naga war took place in Tuensang Area. Almost every household had NNC members fighting with the Indian Army. Anything that was associated with India was resisted by the local people. Yet, under these trying circumstances, the Catholic missionaries stood firm and steady on the rock of Christ.

During my last visit to her at the beginning of this year, I showed her our First Communion picture taken with her. Out of 12 of us, 10 of us were from Tuensang. When we were trying to recall all the people in the picture, we realized that one had gone for the heavenly reward and I happened to be the only one standing in the Catholic Church. During the beginning stage of Catholic Missions, many young students were converted to the Catholic Faith. Many were given Free Education and concessions. Many Catholic youths were also kept in the hostel with minimum payment of Hostel Fees. Unfortunately, some of them left the Catholic Church after the completion of the High Schools. For some youths, the religious animosity towards the Catholic Church by their family members and the struggles of adolescence distanced them from the Catholic Church. There are multiple reasons for leaving the Catholic Church, both personal and social pressure.

Lt. Rev. Sr. Blessilia is one of the First Pioneer Sisters to come to Nagaland from South India. Last month she had visited her home state Kerala and her grandnephew took her around to meet all her family members. Since she is so advanced in age, she told them that this will be her last visit and she returned back to Nagaland on 4th July. Last week, the news about the demise of our First Diocesan Bishop Most. Rev. Joseph Mittathany and the First Diocesan Priest in North East India Rev. Fr. Joseph Mattam in Imphal might have affected her too. They have all come to such a far place to work for the Kingdom of God.

Whenever we met, she often said that she see my mother’s face in me. My mother was like her daughter, like her friend in Christ. Here on earth I won’t be able to meet Sr. Blessilia again. But I have a consolation that my Mom and Rev. Sister are united again with the all the saints in Heaven. May their powerful intercessions be upon all of us.

(The Author is a Priest in the Diocese of Kohima, and can be reached on Benjamin.chang24@gmail.com. The content is personal)

 

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