Mumbai: Corinne Rodrigues, a widowed mother who inspired the vocation of three children
The woman lost her husband in 1975 and reared three boys. Today all three are consecrated; John, the youngest, is a bishop and rector of the Basilica of Bandra. Corinne was a pivotal figure in the archdiocese, founding a movement to help widows and other charities.
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - "It was through the example of our mother, we always remember God's presence, creating an atmosphere of prayer in our house and weaving ties with other priests, we heard our call to religious life " says Msgr. John Rodrigues, rector of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount in Bandra (Mumbai).
On International Women's Day, which falls today, he recalls his mother Corinne, who died in 2000. She was a great example of Christian mercy for the Archdiocese of Mumbai, promoting various charities. One of these is "Hope and Life Movement," a support group for widows. Even Corinne was a widow, but suffering for the loss of her beloved husband did not stop her from transmitting the values of the Gospel and the love of the Lord, so much so that her three sons have taken vows.
Corinne Rodrigues was the mother of Fr. Savio, pastor of Mumbai, Fr. Luke SJ, Vice Provincial of the Jesuits in Mumbai, and Msgr. John. Her sons remember her as an "extraordinary woman of great faith and grace, whose life has been devoted to the service of others, first as a teacher, then as a wife, mother and widow."
Fr. Savio says: "My parents loved each other so much and were active in the parish. In the sixties they entered the Christian Family Movement [network of Catholic families and parishes, born in the United States - ed.] In 1973 they participated in the first Marriage Encounter [retreat for married couples, ed], then they were chosen as leaders of the group of couples. In the following years they are also employed to select other participating couples. " Despite the early death of his father Stanley, the priest continues, "my mother continued to promote the ideals and values that both appreciated. She also made many sacrifices and taught us to do the same. " Fr Savio reports that "her sensitivity and ability to reach those in need was great. She visited the sick in hospital, bought groceries for people forced into the house, she looked after the children, organizing programs and jobs for widows. Her generosity and her zeal were stimulating and motivating. "
In 1985 Corinne founded the Hope and Life Movement on the initiative of the Archdiocese of Mumbai. From the first seminar, attended by 10 widows, the movement now has various groups in different parishes of the city. Under her leadership the social work in favor of single women has also been extended to other sectors of society: since 1993 its members visit the elderly, give support to the families of victims of the 1993 massacres, reconstruct the houses of widows in distress.
In 2015, during the 30th anniversary celebrations of the movement, Msgr. John Rodrigues said that to his mother, "Jesus was the supreme husband, the rock that guides us in giving comfort in times of trial, pains and sufferings". His strength, he concludes, "was in prayer. In our family's time of prayer it was very important. We recite the Rosary in the family and in the community. It was thanks to the encouragement of my parents that we all, as a family, have given to the Church. "
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01/06/2016 11:53
