Mangalore Ursulines complete 125 years

April 12. 2012: India’s Ursuline Franciscan Sisters are celebrating 125 years of their foundation on Tuesday. The Mangalore-centric congregation was founded on Easter day on April 10, 1887 by Jesuit Father Urban Stein.

The sisters were early forerunners and pioneers of women empowerment in southern India. Based on the motto of 'For the love of God’, the congregation is engaged in multi-ministries. Their founder wanted the nuns to educate and care for families and children, especially girls.

The Ursuline now have four provinces across India, a central cell and houses in Europe and Africa. They run over 128 institutions for education, empowerment of women, care of children and youth, homes for the aged, orphanages, farms and other related services.

Early in his tenure at Rosario Cathedral in Mangalore, Fr Stein had the insight to harness cultured local young women who had no serious occupation.

Not long after Fr Stein took charge as the parish priest, he organized a dozen better educated women and motivated them to work among children and women and so in 1887, the Company of St.Ursula" was founded. St. Ursula was an early martyr.

Fr. Stein died on October 21, 1888 and the responsibility to carry on the congregation’s work fell upon Mother Nymphaa. She acquired a piece of land just behind the cathedral and constructed a tile structure in 1901. This is known as the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation - Foundation House and it serves as a meditation and prayer house.

The congregation passed difficult times during the world wars, recession and political turmoil but through prayers and hard work, the nuns survived and grew rapidly.