Srs Patricia and Cinzia celebrate 50 years of life dedicated to the Lord (photos)

by Nirmala Carvalho

The nuns belong to the Congregation of the Pious disciples of the Divine Master. The Prarthanalaya Chapel was decorated with gold-coloured streamers, symbolising the fire of love for Christ. For their superior, the two sisters “built their house on the Rock".

Mumbai (AsiaNews) – The Church in Bandra (Mumbai) yesterday celebrated the 50 years of vocation of two sisters of the Congregation of the Pious disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM) in a joyful and colourful ceremony.

Sr Patricia Fernandes and Sr Cinzia Gonsalves, 73 and 75 respectively, made their first profession of faith in 1969. Since then, the two “responded to this (God’s) call of Love. God called you to share in his love. To spread this fire of Love,” said Mgr Dominic Savio Fernandes, auxiliary bishop of Mumbai.

The Thanksgiving Mass was held in the Prarthanalaya Chapel, the congregation’s own place of worship. For the occasion, the building was decorated with yellow flowers and golden streamers, to symbolise the burning flame of God’s love.

Both nuns came from Catholic families in the archdiocese, and went to church as children.

Sr Patricia, the youngest of eight brothers and sisters, noted that her vocation was “due to the good example of my parents – their piety, training, daily Mass and the Family Rosary were a must.”

“When I finally decided to join the convent, there was a phrase which came to me each time I went to Mass: ‘Lord, I am Yours, and You are mine. Lord, I belong to You . . . all for the love of You’.”

A distinguished artist and painter, she has worked in India and abroad, including several years in Rome and Rimini (Italy).

Her fellow nun, Sr Cinzia is an educator and has worked for several years in the service of the Indian clergy, including the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and the Nunciature in Delhi. She was also secretary to the bishop of Bangalore for 14 years.

Speaking about the two, provincial counsellor Sr Amita Monterio and Sr Precilla Patrao, noted that the “life of a religious person may be compared to building of cathedral. Once a firm foundation has been laid the building rises slowly. This is true with the life of these two sisters who built their house on the Rock so that they were able to preserve it for 50 years.”