History of Northern Province
Mgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas, the Founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany often expressed his burning desire that Bethany should further spread her branches to the vast Indo-Gangetic plains of Northern India, and other parts of the World and carry on the ministries of pastoral, education and socio- medical and be at the service of the people.
In 1960 Fr Christanand, a priest of Simla Diocese, besides looking after the spiritual needs of the students who came to the National Dairy Research Centre, had started an English medium school in August 1960 at Karnal in Haryana and was running a Catholic Information Centre in Karnal at 2 D Model Town. He expressed his desire of the people for a Convent school in the area, and his own need to be assisted by the sisters in the Pastoral ministry.u00a0 He requested Rt Rev John Burke, the Bishop of Simla to invite Bethany Sisters from Mangalore to North India. Accordingly, the Bishop gave a pressing invitation to Mother Macrina, the Superior General, to open Convents in the North.
While the preliminary arrangements were being made for the sisters to set forth to the North, Fr.u00a0 RFC Mascarenhas, the Founder was in his death bed. Yet, very consciously, divinely and with much enthusiasm he extended his paternal blessings to Sr Honoratha BS and Sr Gemma BS who had gone to present him the good news of starting Bethany Mission in the North. He blessed them saying, u201cGo, my children, go, God will bless you; my blessings and prayers are always with you.u201d He foresaw that Bethany would rapidly spread to the four corners of the world. Soon on December 23, 1960 the holy soul flew to its heavenly abode. Sr Agnella BS and Sr Verena BS the dynamic leaders of Bethay were in Simla at that time planning the details of Bethanyu2019s Mission in the North with Bishop John Burke, the Bishop of Simla Diocese.
In the year 1961 on 6 January, a significant day in the Christian Calendar- the feast of Epiphany, a band of Sisters – Sr Oliva BS, Sr Gemma BS, Sr Genevieve BS, Sr Florence BS, Sr Rosalie BS, Sr Mida BS, Sr Benilda BS Sr Benjamine BS and Sr Rosaline BS set foot on the soil of Karnal which was still a part of East Punjab. Haryana state came into existence on 1 November 1966.
Mother Macrina, the Superior General, Sr Agnella BS, Sr Verena BS her councillors accompanied Sr Gemma BS, Sr Florence BS, Sr Benilda BS and the domestic helper Mary Du2019Souza to Bathinda by train. Sr Oliva BS, Sr Genevieve BS and Sr Rosalie BS and their domestic helper Josephine were the members of St Theresau2019s, community, Karnal and Sr Mida and Sr Benjamine stayed on at St Theresau2019s Karnal until further arrangement were made for their departure to Mashobra in Simla, Himachal Pradesh. Sr Rosaline, who was to accompany them to Mashobra, took ill due to extreme cold and was forced to return to Mangalore.
Travelling from South India to the North in those days was a feat in itself. They braved the hard winter with deep faith in God, perseverance and steely courage. Thus began the legend of Bethany in the North. What an ordeal it was for Sisters who were used to moderate southern climate, when the icy cold winds of January caused their teeth to clatter! Even their bone marrow seemed to freeze. No shoes, no jackets or warm gloves to provide them warmth and comfort in what was to all purposes a strange land for them. Swollen fingers and toes with excruciating pain, brought tears to our eyes,u201d recalls Sr Linus. Summer was just the opposite. In Punjab and Haryana, the persisting heat waves and dust storms spelt misery throughout summer. The Sisters experienced the extremes of the northern climate to the hilt. In severe winter they felt that they were covered by an avalanche, and in the sizzling heat of mid-summer, they felt that they were being roasted in u2018burning infernos.
Adjustment to the rented rooms that served as classrooms during the school hours, and as dormitories for the Sisters at night, was also quite an experience for them. They paid a heavy price indeed! But the times were so good and safe that people often slept in the open air at night.