The South African Province rejoiced in gratitude to God as Sr. Prabha Varghese celebrated 25 years of consecrated life on 21 August 2024. The celebration took place at the Vincent Pallotti Convent in Pinelands.
His Eminence Cardinal Stephen Brislin presided over the solemn Eucharist together with Auxiliary Bishop Rev. Sylvester David. Other concelebrants, including the Pallottine Fathers from Cape Town, some friends and two Schoenstatt Sisters joined in the celebration.
In his homily, the Cardinal stressed the role of Mary in our lives as Religious. Mother Mary intercedes for us and acts as a mediator. Her role as Queen is to imitate the Kingship of her Son on the cross. Mary is Queen in her service to God for humanity. She is the Queen of Love who lives her self-gift to God and so enters into the plan for man’s salvation. The Cardinal congratulated Sr. Prabha Varghese on her faithfulness to God.
Sr. Prabha is from India, where she entered our Congregation in 1995. On 22 August 1999 she took her First Profession in Goa. First, she was trained and worked as a nurse. Then she was involved with many other duties. She worked with the National Aids Control Programme, Raipur, and for three years at a dispensary in Odisha where she served also as the local superior of the community. She was involved in the collaboration with the Pallottine Fathers for three years, and the warden at the Bangalore hostel for one year.
Since 27 June 2015 Sr. Prabha is a member of the Province of South Africa. She took keen interest in looking after the frail care sisters and cared for them with love and compassion. She got also involved in the neighbouring Vincent Pallotti Hospital which had been founded by our sisters but sold more than twenty years ago. Sr. Prabha visited the sick and brought Holy Communion to Catholic patients.
From 2017 to 2020, she was appointed Vice Provincial, and in 2020 elected as Provincial Superior. After her first term of three years, she was re-elected in January 2024.
All the sisters of the South African Province congratulated Sr. Prabha and expressed their appreciation and gratitude for her commitment and for leading the Province with much love, dedication and concern for each sister.
The lively singing of the congregation and the music and flower arrangements of Sr. Promila Kiro created a grace-filled atmosphere in the chapel. The spirit of fellowship continued with a delicious banquet and well wishes. This cheerful celebration was an eloquent witness to all who share in the joy of the jubilarian.
Text: Sr. Prescilla Rego, SAC
Photos: Fr. Ravi Kumar, SAC
