Chitradurga – St. Joseph’s Convent

The same of Spirit of God, who inspired our Foundresses in Cantaous in 1882, blew over the hills of Chitradurga town. But this time it was neither from a priest nor a bishop, not even from a Catholic person that this call originated. Mrs. Sudha V. Reddy, a prominent, convent – educated, Hindu Lady, the wife of Mr. T. V. Reddy, the Deputy Commissioner of Chitradurga district, was the direct instrument in beinging the Charism to this semi – arid land in the year 1956.

Till 1954, Chitradurga was only a substation of Davanagere Parish.

During a conversation with FR. Abraham, Mrs. Sudha Reddy wondered about the possibility of getting Sisters to start a school. She also suggested that the Sisters could teach in the existing Mahila Samaj Nursery School to start with.

Fr. Abraham next approached the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes in Bangalore along with Fr. Raymond D’Souza, assistant Parish Priest of ST. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral. They met Mother Anne, who welcomed the Fathers with her usual respect and cordiality. She accepted their offer, pending the green signal from the Superior General.

So it was agreed upon to take up the Nursery School in the Mahila Samaj until the Sisters could be on their own. They were to teach there and the Samaj would pay them Rs. 300/- each. Srs. Mary Michael B ( Superior ), Veronica Rodrigues and Mary Fernandez were the privileged Foundresses to shoulder this new enterprise. Sr. Maria Joanna Texeira and

Sr. St. Felix D’Mello joined the community a little later. The house of a leading lawyer, Mr. Balasubramaniam, was arranged for the Sisters’ stay. Both he and his wife Mrs. Laxmi Balasubramaniam helped and supported the Sisters at all time. The Sisters started their mission on 2nd February 1956.

A special feature of this place in those days was a family spirit – unity and communion among the parishioners, the Fathers, the Sisters, the Staff and people of the town.

The Sisters, besides their mission in the school, continued pastoral care, visiting the sick in homes and hospitals, praying with the people, even seeing to the burial of the deceased who were abandoned.

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