Special year for St. Alphonsa, the first Indian Woman Saint

(August 12, 2010) The Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurated the special year on Thursday, 12^th of August to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Sister Alphonsa of Bharananganam, the first Indian woman saint of the Catholic Church. Srimathi Patil also placed the first stone of a Centre for Palliative Care dedicated to the saint, and launched a project to care for the poor who suffer from heart problems, kidney problems and cancer. Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, archbishop of the Syro-Malabar church, speaking about the value of St. Alphonsa’s witness for our time said: "It is of great significance that the President of India has participated in the inauguration of the celebrations for the centenary of the first Indian saint. This reflects the religiosity of the Indian people, religious culture and appreciation for the sanctity of life. Holy people have always been venerated in our tradition and culture”. He added that marking the birth of St. Alphonsa, serves to suggest to the world that it ought to return to God and love of Him. At the same time, said the Archbishop, the saint’s life stresses the value of suffering. A special power is hidden in suffering, a special grace that brings us closer to Christ. Sister Alphonsa experienced severe suffering and many people are attracted to her just because of the value she gave suffering. Suffering brings benefits to humanity. Sr. Alphonsa was canonized October 12, 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.