By Michael Gonsalves
INDIA – The Missionaries of Charity, founded by St Mother Teresa of Kolkata, has closed their home for the destitute in Goa, western India, on Apr 28 amid fears that their landlords pushed them out to reclaim the land.
Sister Rosario, the superior of the seven-member community in state capital Panaji, told UCA News they have handed over the place to the original owners, Assistência de Goa, a charity organization.
“We have received an order from our Kolkata headquarters to leave and go to another place,” she said.
The Missionaries of Charity nuns worked in the house for 49 years after Mother Teresa started the home on a 5,000 square meter premises at the invitation of Assistencia de Goa, in a prime location in the state capital.
Rosario said Sister M. Joseph Michael, the superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, had also informed Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, about vacating the place.
The nun said the present 44 inmates will be relocated to two other shelters run by the Missionaries of Charity nuns in the state.
Father Maverick Fernandes, director of the Goa Archdiocesan Council for Social Justice and Peace, told UCA News that “the nuns have been pushed out” of the property by not allowing repairs of the leaking tin sheet roofs in the rainy season.”
Mariano Ferrao, a Catholic activist, said he was “surprised by the move as no one can do the service” that the nuns of the Missionaries of Charity do.
However, the landowners, the charity organization founded in 1910, refuted the allegations.
Neville Monteiro, president of Assistancia de Goa, told UCA News on April 27 that it was a “unilateral decision” of the Missionaries of Charity, “without informing us, which surprised us.”
“This place is meant only for charitable purposes and the statutes cannot be changed for any other construction or commercial purpose,” Monteiro said, adding that the letter from Missionaries of Charity came as “a shock” to them.
He said the trustees of Assistencia de Goa met Cardinal Ferrao, who told them that the sisters had made a decision and informed him too.
“The sisters are most welcome to come back to continue their work. We will give them the first preference,” Monteiro said.
“We don’t want it to be given to any builders’ lobby or for any commercial development,” Ferrao said, stressing that the property should not go into the wrong hands.
Another activist, Anthony de Silva, said: “We pray our doubts don’t come true that a skyscraper comes up in this place.”
He said the kind-hearted nuns will not say anything publicly even if they are under pressure and “decided to leave peacefully.”
Sabina Martin, convener of Bailancho Saad (Women’s Voice), a volunteer collective, said Goan people are upset that the nuns, who served the local people irrespective of religion, are leaving.
“I wrote to Superior General Sister Joseph Michael on April 24 that there is a dire need for a shelter home for vulnerable women and children in Panjim, which can only be provided by the sisters,” she said. – UCA News
