Sixty years of divine mission in Sri Lanka:

Mother Maria, Guiding Star of Lansigama Home for Elders

Ajith Perera

It is said when a child is born to the world, a bell is rung in heaven to announce to the saints and the guardian angels to pray for the new born. Similarly, the saints are eagerly waiting to see whose name would be selected for the child by the parents. When exceptions are born to the world, the bells all over heaven are chimed in praising the glory of God and all the angels and saints rise singing hymns of praise as a mark of respect.

This does not happen quite often but it did happen on November 8, 1925 when the second child was born to the family of Jovanni and Guiseppina Contesini in Ostigilia (MN) in Italy.

The Virgin Mary who praised God Almighty for His mercy and compassion to mankind was entrusted to take care of the new born. She under took the responsibility of guiding this chosen one to the will of God. Jovanni and Giuseppina who were thrilled by the healthy new born, whom they considered a gift for the family from above, named her ‘ANDREINA’. This affectionate child began to grow quite healthily and peacefully.

Ostigilia is a village full of natural beauty and Andreina was quite attracted to nature. Her love for nature inspired her, from her childhood to seek the beauty in God’s creation and His love for human beings.

She enjoyed the greenery and the singing of the birds in the meadows where she spent hours. If a child is brought up close to nature, God and man, the child naturally becomes humanitarian and God fearing. If a child loves his or her parents, he or she will love any parent on earth. Since charity begins at home Andreina’s early childhood in her parents’ bosom would have been a boost for her entire achievements in her future vocation and her religious ministry.

Though the Second World War seriously disrupted their lives unexplainably, her mother coached her properly to face life’s trials bravely. Her mother used to make her shoes at home with the discarded bicycle tyre tubes and cardboards. What her mother taught her at her young age is still practised and the sisters and their helpers in the convent are always encouraged not to waste but to use the existing resources to the maximum.

Missionary sisters

During her secondary education she had been associating with the missionary sisters in the hostel and gradually the idea of becoming a missionary nun seeped into her mind at the age of fifteen.

When the Superior of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart called her to join the Congregation, she had accepted the invitation in 1945 at the age of 20 on one condition and that she should be sent for missionary service.

At the end of her initial formation she made her first vows on June 18, 1947 in Italy placing herself totally in the hands of the Lord, offering herself entirely to God, for His people taking the Virgin Mary as her model and MARIA as her religious name.

The late Bishop Edmund Peiris O.M.I, the first Bishop of Chilaw who was a historian, a visionary and a scholar foresaw the dire need of a Home for the Elders especially for those who are left with nobody and no shelter on earth when they are old and weak. The construction of a house for the inmates would not have been a challenge but entrusting the house to make it a home would have been a greater challenge for His Lordship.

Therefore, Rev. Fr. Dussin an Italian O.M.I. priest who came to Ceylon for a short stay was requested to seek some nuns from Italy to undertake this divine mission.

After returning home Fr. Dussin through his superiors cast the net at the sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart whose convent was in close proximity. Mother General Rev. Sr. Lusia Prisco readily agreed to release five sisters who volunteered and proclaimed ‘Your will be done’. The pioneers of this mission were Mother Benjamina, the leader of the team, Sisters Candida, Carmalina, Dionisia and Maria, the youngest of all.

The sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart first set foot in Ceylon on the February 13 in the year 1950 after 14 days of sea voyage. The sisters who set sail to Ceylon from Naples were warmly welcomed by the Bishop Edmund Peiris himself on board at the Ceylon harbour.

The sisters who strongly adhered to their professional vows; poverty, chastity and obedience carried all their belongings in a small suit case for each sister. Leaving all the comforts of a developed country like Italy, the sisters migrating to a poor country like ours itself reflects how devoted they are and how strongly they adhered to their professional vows; poverty, chastity and obedience. Let us make an attempt to understand how hard their mission would have been at the inception even without the basic facilities.

Looking after our own old parents at home providing them with the necessary requirements and warmth and love until they pass away is not an easy task. We somehow fulfill our duties towards them because they are our own parents. We always feel that we are duty bound and obliging but why did those nuns and their young sisters even today extend their generous hands towards the old and weak who come in search of affection, warmth and security and look after them until they are called to eternal rest? This is hard to define. But we can joyfully say that they are committed to their service, mission and charism.

Lansigama Home for the elders is quite unique because the gates are wide open only for those who are poverty stricken and who are nobody’s parents or elders. Except the annual donation of about Rs. 75,000 from the Social Services Department, today 150 elders solely depend on the benefactors and the well wishers for their survival because the home has no private endowment fund to draw on.

Inspiration of God

In this matter the well wishers and benefactors have made an excellent contribution. The inspiration of God which is beyond our explanation is the guiding force of the firm believers of God Almighty.

God miraculously inspires His loyal followers as His instruments to accomplish tasks that would help mankind. The believers of God accept the fact that they are surprisingly inspired even unexpectedly in certain actions.

Caring for elders

The reality of inspiration may not be felt at the spur of the moment but undoubtedly be realized later in life. The farsighted decision made by the Late Bishop Edmund Peiris is a fine example for this reality.

The founders piloted the mission through the perplexing pioneering years. Clearly God’s providence saw to it that they would stay on long enough themselves and also find younger hands to assist them and gradually take over the task.

Today there are 35 sisters who engage in various missions such as caring for elders, conducting Montessori and teaching the Good News of Our Lord in parishes in five convents; Lansigama, Colombo, Sirigampola Lunuwila, Iranawila and Elpitiya.

Young Sr. Maria when she raised her hand never would have thought that she would be a missionary giantess one fine day. She never would have wanted to be so. But God’s yard stick is different from ours.

Those who follow His teachings and do His will are forever blessed and Mother Maria is a fine example for this. She as other team mates and their successors should have thought of Jesus’ proclamation at the last judgment; ‘Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me’. (Matthew 25: 40)

Her successors and the sisters to be in her Congregation are lucky as their service to the poor aged destitute is valued immeasurably by the Almighty and joyously welcomes these nuns at the gate of heaven delightedly rejoicing; ‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison you visited me.’ (Matthew 25: 35 and 36).

How fortunate you are Sisters! When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels, He will sit upon His glorious throne, and will say, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’

Mother Maria who is 84 years of age should rest and enjoy the rest of her life. Instead she enjoys working.

Thank God! Mother Maria, who claims that work ‘refreshes’ is healthier than some of the young nuns, believes that ‘Hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray’.

Her spirit of hard work is the secret of her good health. We as her children and admirers ought to praise the Lord for her good health and high spirits. She is young at heart to the true sense of the word. This Good Samaritan who never craves for pompous manifestation and empty popularity knows nothing about this unfolding of her silent mission in public but her example should not go unheard and unknown.

Once the late Bishop Frank Marcus had questioned, ‘Why should people bother to do right, when so many others do what is wrong?’ Mother Maria, you have been chosen for your sacred vocation with a commitment demanding zeal and dedication to make a difference.

So your reward is not measured by the praises of men, nor is it counted in riches and wealth but in the deep conviction that you have truly made a lasting contribution to the human race.

Mission

This missionary giantess knows that she represents Our Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd who said, ‘I have come to serve and not to be served.’ (Mt. 20:28) Mother Maria’s mission is to consecrate herself to love and serve people to whom she has been sent and it is TRULY DONE. She keeps close contact with God and He is the driving force in her life.

For full sixty years the sisters have endeavoured to the best of their ability to look after the elders as their own parents and help the poor who come to them in their hour of need and the sisters are kind enough to listen to the grievances of them as they have seen that divine quality in Mother Maria. Further, the sisters offer their shoulders to the grieving hearts to cry on and ease themselves.

To achieve this worthy end the sisters and supporters have collaborated in an unrelenting manner. The sisters give thanks to Almighty God and their patron saint St. Joseph for all the graces and favours they have received so far.

Once Bishop Frank Marcus, the second Bishop of Chilaw at a function at the Home for the Aged at Lansigama gratefully stated that ‘India has Mother Teresa and we Sri Lankans have Mother Maria.’ It is quite true.

Though Mother Teresa was felicitated and her paramount service was appreciated by conferring the state honour in India, Mother Maria and the missionaries of her calibre face a lot of hardships annually to renew their visa to serve the people of our land. I brought this injustice to the notice of the President and the church leaders last year in writing but so far nothing has been done.

We Sri Lankans who receive the dedicated service of these silent missionaries should be shameful because when these missionary luminaries deserve citizenship and State honour, they are still hanging around the office of Immigration and Emigration for their annual visa renewal.

Let us young and old, join her in thanking God Almighty, who has guided and directed Mother Maria and her fellow sisters through the years and helped them to steer the institution safely through both calm and billowy seas. Finally, May the Good Lord shower on Mother Maria and her Daughters abundant graces and blessings to continue the excellent work they are doing into the future. And may St. Joseph, their patron saint ever guide them in their journey through the perils of this life.