By John B Monteiro
Mangaluru, Mar 11: Manglaluru’s first saint, now Blessed Mariam Baouardy, is set to be canonized as Saint by Pope Francis on May 17, 2015. She had co-established the Kankandy Chapter (Carmel) of the Discalced Carmelite Order. Pope John Pau II had beatified her (also called Mary of Jesus Crucified) on November 13,1983. This was disclosed to the media on March 9 by Fr Pius James D’Souza and Mother (Prioress) Maria Celine. Mariam, born on January 5, 1846, was the daughter of George Bauoadry and Mariam Chahyn, both of the Greek-Catholic rite.
Mariam was the among the first three Carmelite nuns to land in Mangalore and co-founded the Carmelite monastery in Kankanady. Born at Ibillin of Palestine, Mariam played an important role in identifying the Biblical Emmaus following a private revelation in April 1878. She worked for a short while in Mangalore and died of cancer on august 26, 1878. A grotto with her statue on a pedestal is located on the Kankanady monastery complex – at the right as one enters. Since the conferment of sainthood is a great landmark in the history of Catholics in Mangalore Diocese, it is only apt to go to the root of the convent (Carmel) here and trace its growth to the present stage
At the turn of 2000, people passing by on Father Muller Road at Kankanady hardly noticed the faded front façade of the chapel of Sacred Heart Monastery of the Cloistered Carmel, off the entrance of Father Muller Hospital. It had a dark gray, moss-covered surface and even the interior of the chapel seemed to have been in a neglected, shabby condition. But things changed since the members of a prayer group of Milagres banded together to collect funds and have the building painted and renovated inside out. As Mother Maria points out, more recently, in 2013, the chapel was further renovated with the support of generous people of Mangalore. Yet another spot that attracted the attention of passers-by was a well designed hoarding, placed near the entrance gate, trying to interest prospective new candidates for the convent. This external shine also reflected some of the changes that have come about in the rigorous and unique lifestyle of the nuns of the Cloistered Convent. But, first let us trace this surviving centurion’s trail.
The cloistered nuns, officially called Discalced Carmelites (OCD), were invited to Mangalore by Bishop Marie Ephraim in 1870s. Six sisters of the order started their voyage from Pau, France, on August 18, 1887. They suffered from sea sickness and heat and one of them died while near Suez. The group proceeded to Aden where another nun died and both were buried in Aden. They resumed their voyage on a China-bound ship and landed in Madras (now Chennai). Travelling overland, they reached Calicut where a third nun, Prioress-designate, Mother Elias, sent to found the Mangalore Monastery, also died.
The surviving three nuns, including Sr Mary, who became the first Prioress, reached Mangalore on November 19, 1877. For the initial two years they stayed at the newly started Apostolic Carmel’s St. Ann’s Convent near Rosario Church, Bolar.
The foundation stone for the Sacred Heart Monastery/Chapel at Kankandy was laid on August 15, 1880. With four more sisters from Europe joining the original surviving three, seven sisters occupied the Monastery in March 1882. The voyage of the second batch was short and not dramatic, starting on February 9, 1881 and reaching Mangalore on March 27. The cost of travel of the nuns and building the Kankanady Cloistered Complex was sponsored by a Belgian nobleman, Count George de Nedonchel. The architect of this Gothic structure is noted as V Fernandes. Also involved was Fr Diamanti, SJ, who had started Jeppu Workshop.
The life of the Cloistered nuns, as the name implies, is within the high walls of their monastery compound and with no contact with the outside world. Even their funeral takes place within the walls – in a captive cemetery. The nuns spend their life in contemplation, silence, prayer, solitude and physical lobour. They live on charity but are not allowed to beg. The only time they are allowed to go out is for medical treatment, to vote in the elections and to start a new convent. Since the first convent in Mangalore, the Order has set up 33 more monasteries in India, with one more scheduled to open shortly at Kannur, Kerala. People in distress go to the Cloistered Convent to request the nuns to pray for their intentions, specially for the critically ill.
The Kankanady Monastery Complex is spread over an area of six acres in which banana and coconut plantations have been developed. The nuns have also vegetable patches and a small dairy to meet their needs. There are fixed hours for prayer and contemplation outside which the nuns can do physical work such as sewing clothes for themselves, making church linen and preparing altar bread for churches.
There are 13 nuns at Kankanady – 12 of them cloistered (enclosed) and one extern who deals with the external world on behalf of the convent. The latter meet people visiting the convent and facilitate day to day functioning. The lifestyle of the cloistered nuns is marginally easing over the last few years. They have two hours of recreation every day when they can talk. They have a TV which they use to monitor news and religious programmes. Now they have fans, electric gadgets and gas ovens. Incidentally they have a gobar gas plant. Earlier they had to have black coffee – which is no more a restriction. Traditionally the nuns had to be bare-foot – which is no longer so.
Earlier only close relatives could see the nuns once a month through a small opening in the window (across cross-barred window). Now the separating grille has larger apertures and you don’t have to be a relative to speak to the nuns. They do some counseling work to sooth and reassure emotionally distressed and disturbed persons. They have a telephone – 0824 2437552. and email address - carmelmangalore@gmail.com. They have supportive friends who look after the creative chores for them. Usually, only the Prioress attends to visitors - between 8.30 am and 11 pm and 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm - more restricted in Advent and Lent.
It is ironical that in the midst of their contemplation and prayers for others they seem to forget to pray for themselves. How else can one explain their being robbed, in 2004, of their essential utensils like copper and aluminium vessels, large and small, with a replacement cost beyond their means? But, as noted above, the nuns have their supportive friends who helped them to replenish the robbed items.
What made Mother Theresa, the then Prioress ten years ago when I had interviews her, happy was that four new candidates had come into the fold who, according to her, were very bright and eager – two of them nurses and two highly computer literate. Such candidates start with a trial period of three months and progress through various stages lasting up to nine years when they make the final vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. Once one is in, one is in for good – with the prospect of only a peep through the iron grille at the outside world.
There will be renewed interest in the new saint. If the book is not out of print, on can turn to “Mariam – The Little Arab” published by Asian Trading Corporation in 1985 – apparently following Mariam’s beatification. It was originally written, perhaps in French, by Amedee Brunot, SCJ and translated into English by Jeanne Dumais OCDS and Sister Miriam of Jesus, OCD. Some photos from this book are reproduced with this article.
Finally, what is great about saints is explained by Theres of Lisieux 1873-1897), also called Little Flower of Jesus, a French Discalced Carmelite nun: “I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately, when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by.”
Veteran journalist and author, John B Monteiro now concentrates on Editorial Consultancy, having recently edited the autobiography of a senior advocate, history and souvenir to mark the centenary of Catholic Association of South Canara and currently working on the history/souvenir to mark the platinum jubilee of a chamber of commerce & industry.