Preparing women of fire for Asia, Africa
By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy
Institute of Mater Dei, Old Goa
Old Goa: Sr. Annie Ponmani had lots of doubts about her
vocation when she came to Institute Mater Dei in 1976.
However, two years of theology studies there not only
convinced her about her calling but prepared her for future
responsibilities, such as provincial councilor, superior,
formator and editor of her province's publications.
"The confidence IMD instilled in me nearly 40 years ago
continues to help me through the ups and downs in my life,"
said the Daughters of St. Paul sister.
Ponmani is among more than 5,000 sisters, who, after
graduating from Mater Dei, play critical leadership roles in
Asia and Africa, said its superior, St. Anne Sr. Edwige Maria
Anthony.
The institute, which completed 50 years in 2014,
sits atop a hill, surrounded by magnificent
churches in Old Goa, the ancient capital of the
Portuguese colonial rulers.
In modern times, the body within the three-story edifice has
triggered a quiet revolution in the church by helping women,
especially nuns, speak up.
"Religious women walking out of the portals of Mater Dei
institute, every year, are fired with earnestness to work,
particularly for the uplift of the downtrodden of their own
gender," said Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa.
Oblate Fr. John Sankarathil, who teaches at Mater Dei, points
out that it is the only institute managed by India's women
religious to empower Catholic nuns to deepen their conviction
and commitment.
Anthony said the institute was the Indian church's
answer to the Second Vatican Council call to
empower women religious through formation programs.
Archbishop J. Knox, an Australian who was India's
internuncio from 1957 to 1967, requested Sr. M.
Theodosia, the only woman observer at the council
from Asia, to plan and manage a national formation
house for women.
The Apostolic Carmel nun responded by setting up the Mater
Dei Institute in 1964. It aimed to equip Catholic nuns to
face modern challenges and help them find relevance and joy
in their vocation, Anthony said. It chose as a motto "Grow
into the fullness of Christ" to instill a sense of worth and
dignity in its students.
Theodosia set up the institute in Santa Monica, the first
Catholic convent in Asia that the Portuguese built in the
early 17th century. Goa, a tiny western Indian state, was
under Portuguese rule from 1510 to 1960.
The new formation house began with a two-year theology
program. In 1990, the program was divided into a one-year
ongoing theology program and a one-year baccalaureate program
for those involved in the formation of sisters. In 2010, the
institute launched a one-year diploma course in philosophy
and the following year a baccalaureate course in theology.
The institute teaches subjects that range from basic Hebrew,
history of Christianity in India, and theology of religious
life to Mariology (the theology of Mary), Eschatology (study
of final events in human history), and biomedical ethics. The
courses are affiliated with Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, a papal
seminary at Pune in neighboring Maharashtra state. Women also
study in other seminaries.
Feminist theology is an overarching subject taught
at the institute. Sr. Pauline Chakkalackal, a
teacher at Mater Dei, said feminist theology shares
the concerns of feminism in Christianity. It calls
for a critical assessment of patriarchal theology
and biblical interpretation that is responsible for
the invisibility and domestication of women in the
church.
"It helps us develop a holistic approach to God and religion,
humans and the world -- in fact, all areas of life and
mission," Chakkalackal said. "It is a new way of doing
theology, rooted in the experiences of women and committed to
developing a life-affirming and change-oriented theology."
Mater Dei has about 15 students in each class group, so women
get opportunities to express their views without inhibition.
They can ask questions without being threatened by men or
being ridiculed. They also can use their creative talents for
dance and other group activities.
"The social analysis classes helped us understand events in
the world. We also discuss a lot about the role of women in
the church, relevance of religious in the world," said
Cynthia Andrade, a lay woman studying there.
Jesuit Fr. Savio Barretto, a close associate of the
institute, says Mater Dei has helped women be on a
par with men in the church. "By listening to
women, the church learns to become more caring.
The Mater Dei helps to build up this aspect in the
Indian church," said the rector of Basilica of Bom
Jesus, where the relics of St. Francis Xavier are
enshrined just walking distan
