(July 21,2010) India’s first Catholic woman to become a fulltime seminary professor
says she will work to present the Bible in a new and meaningful way. Assumption
Sister Rekha Chennattu was appointed professor of Sacred Scripture in Jnana-Deepa
Vidyapeeth - JDV, a major Indian seminary based in Pune, western India. Her appointment
was confirmed mid-June by two Vatican departments, namely the Congregation for Catholic
Education and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. 46-year-old Sister
Chennattu, told ucanews.com that she was excited about the prospect of preparing what
she termed “ambassadors for Christ.” The nun joined the seminary faculty to lecture
on Scripture in 1996. She has a Licentiate in Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical
Institute, Rome, and holds a doctorate in Biblical Studies from the Catholic University
of America, Washington D.C. Church officials said the nun is also the first woman
to head the Department of Scriptural Studies at JDV. Sister Chennattu said she
will attempt to integrate social issues, theological concerns and pastoral insights,
so as to see the meaning of Christian life, particularly women’s life in the social
context of the Indian Church.