‘Model mum’, with six children consecrated in the Church, gets award
Josephine Corraya, 82, receives ‘Jewel Mother’ Award from the parliamentary speaker. After losing her husband, she raised ten children and gave them a good education. Three sons became priests, and three daughters became nuns.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Josephine Corraya, 82, has been a model woman, a loving and caring mother of ten, who made sure they all got a good education. For this reason, the Bangladeshi parliament gave her the Ratnagarva Maa (Jewel Mother) Award (pictured).
Josephine is Catholic, and lives in Rnagamitia parish, Gazipur District (Archdiocese of Dhaka). Six of her children chose the consecrated life: three priests, and three nuns.
“We gave Josephine this award for her outstanding work in educating her ten children,” said Abul Kalam Azad, a Muslim and head of the organisation that finances the prize. “She made enormous sacrifices to ensure their education, so that they could serve our society. "
Her ninth child, Joel Rebeiro, works for Caritas. "Our mother has shaped us in a special way,” he said. “She usually took us to Mass every morning, then we did housework, studied, and then went to school. She taught us morality and respect for the elderly."
Josephine's husband died when the children were still small, so she had to raise them alone and in poverty.
Yet, "Even though we had money problems, our mother worked hard and managed to pay the costs of our education,” said Fr. Bulbul, her tenth child.
"She is a simple woman and has always had a positive attitude towards the Church,” he added. “I cannot remember a time when she spoke ill of a priest or a nun. She encouraged us to enter the seminary."
Josephine is very grateful for the award. "I think that the Almighty God has blessed my family. I've always been a simple believer and I have taken care of my children according to the teachings of Jesus. In the last days of my life I thank God because I am a happy woman."
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