BE A WITNESS FOR MOTHER CLARA

Dear FRIEND, You have been hand-picked to respond to this simple questionnaire. Your responses will be used to write a book on the life, works and continuing legacy of Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus. Therefore, kindly respond to this questionnaire freely, creatively, succinctly, yet diligently. All the best! Guidelines: a. This questionnaire may either be administered to you by an astute interviewer or you may choose to respond to it in writing. In either case, kindly read the entire questionnaire fully. b. In case your responses are in writing, let them be brief, preferably using the suggested word limit [WL]. c. The words within brackets () are meant to assist you in understanding the question. They are not meant to be answered as separate questions. d. The words in bold highlight the theme of a given question. e. While responding, feel free to narrate life experiences, anecdotes, accounts heard from your superiors/companions and words attributed to Mother Maria Clara. f. Please mention proper names (persons and places) in full and in correct spelling. QUESTIONNAIRE Mode of Response to Questionnaire:   Self-administered/ in Writing  Administered by Interviewer 1. What is your name? 2. How are you associated with the CONFHIC? (aspirant, novice, sister…) OR A FASFHIC 3. Which Province/ COUNTRY do you belong to? (Please mention community name and location) 4. Through what branch of service do you perform your apostolate? (check one of the 14 branches of service mentioned. If among others, please specify) Category I Category II Category III Category IV  House of Formation  Social Work  Health Centre  High School  Pastoral Work  Children’s Home  Hospital  Middle School  Sisters & Residents  Home for Elderly  Clinic  Boarding  School for Mentally Challenged  School for Nursing  Other ………………… 5. Can you share about your first personal encounter with Mother Maria Clara? [WL: 200 words] 6. How do you see Mother Maria Clara live through the apostolate you represent? (Conversely, do you recall any part of the Mother’s life that reflects how she lived out your chosen apostolate?) [WL: 150 words]. 7. Narrate one experience from your work where YOU have personally witnessed the living presence of Mother Maria Clara or have been inspired to act as per the way Mother has shown? (E.g. she was humble, loving, tender, pro-poor…). [WL: 500 words] 8. What is the most sterling aspect of the Mother’s life (according to you) that you would like to share with a friend? (WL: 150 words) 9. Describe the milieu (personal, socio-political, cultural, economic challenges) in which you are exercising your apostolate today. Then mention what Mother Maria Clara is asking you to do in your apostolate today. (Is she challenging you? Is she guiding you? What would she do in your place?) [WL: 700 words] (Kindly refer to the Annexure – it contains an imaginary situation each for Category I, II, III and IV. Choose the situation pertaining to the Category you belong. The given situation stimulates you to respond to this question. You are urged to respond to this question while narrating a real-life situation of your own. It may be interesting to note that your responses will be used in the proposed book using the same writing style that has been employed in narrating the situation/s found in the Annexure.) 10. Now that Mother Maria Clara is on her way to being declared a saint, what would you like to pray to her? (Please keep in mind the life of Mother and the needs of your apostolate.) [WL: 100 words] 11. Please feel free to elaborate on any special favor you may have received through the exclusive intercession of Mother Maria Clara. [WL: 50 words] |End of Questionnaire

LIFE IN MISSION

2 February 2009 Talamari, India That victim feeling was unmistakable. She had read about it in the words of Sister Meena of Orissa herself at a press conference last October – the way she was cornered, stripped and raped by those communal hooligans. Never in her life had she felt like an outsider as a Christian in her own country. She had grown up with Hindus and Muslim friends. Neither her parents not those of her friends ever made her feel there was any distinction between them. They were brought up to be faithful to religious observances and loyal to friends and family. Feasts and festivals had always been occasions for fellowship, food and fun. But times had drastically changed. Victims who made news were no more strangers. It could be a friend. It could be a neighbour. “Could it be me next?” A chill ran down Sister Nirupama’s spine. Her head whizzed with a hundred gory images as she stood waiting for her train to Bangalore, to attend a meeting for Christian religious involved in social work. In the corner of her eye, were those two youth; the bold tilak on their forehead giving them away as ultra-nationalists who believed ‘India is for the Hindus’ and that all others must be annihilated. She had caught a glimpse of them as she got into an auto-rickshaw at the marketplace. And when she reached the railway platform, she spotted them again. They carried no luggage. Nor did they seem in a hurry to catch a train. They simply leaned on the counter of the sole tea-stall in that deserted rail station – staring at her, watching her every move. Sister Nirupama had always been known as “the bold one”. She had done great work in sensitizing tribal folks of their rights to education, food, water and hygiene. She was a role model to her fellow Franciscan Hospitaller sisters. She had a way of dealing with government officials with their strange rules and demands. She had several influential contacts – all for the sake of the poor people who looked up her as “all things to all people.” But that moment, she felt a great fear seize her. She would have a loved a miracle that could make her disappear from the scene and transport her to Bangalore – for good – where things would be safer, surer and saner. “Oh, Lord! What do I do?” (Consider here, what Mother Maria Clara would have advised Sister Nirupama, who wanted to retreat from her chosen ministry in the wake of mortal danger. Now, refer to Question #9 and provide your response, using a real-life situation.)

Life in vocation

13 July 1993 Lisbon, Portugal Young Sr. Adelina stared out the window of her room. The clear blue skies outside shimmered like gossamer in the summer sun. Nature seemed to hold out a colourful palette as her eyes swept across the garden beneath; setting off its speckled green against the azure. The scene outside seemed to reflect her picture perfect past years as a Franciscan Hospitaller sister. It had been her greatest satisfaction that her natural gift for illustration art had been put to much use in the convent; contrary to her initial fears that, as nun, she must relegate the talent to the backburner. “Art, art and more art,” she wondered. “What more? What next?” In her heart, she knew that there must be more that she could do besides simply seeming to find a place for her talent, despite the vocation she had chosen. Just that afternoon over lunch, the Superior was recalling excitedly about the immense appreciation Sister Adelina had received for Her name was Libania, an illustrated biography of the Mother’s life. A little over a month ago, the book had been released amidst grand celebration to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mother Maria Clara. The artist in Adelina had had her fill that day. Besides, for the first time, she had also been acknowledged as a promising author. The cheers of the crowd, the glee on the faces of the school girls who loved her and personal compliments that were heaped on Adelina hung upon her like thick smog. Since then, a strange sense of inadequacy had filled her days. She felt someone call her from beyond the haze that overwhelmed her. What was this voice saying? And the more Adelina tried to make out what this message was, the more floundered she felt. She made her way to the Blessed Sacrament. And there, while she was in deep prayer, she felt the presence of someone very familiar. She knew it was Mother Maria Clara. (Have you faced a similar plateau in your vocation or apostolate? Consider here, what Mother Maria Clara would have advised Sister Adelina, who felt what she was doing was comfortable but not enough. Now, refer to Question #9 and provide your response, using a real-life situation.)

Women of God

We are Women of Prayer Nurtured by the Eucharist, Sacred Scripture, Personal Contemplative, and Communal Prayer. The Eucharist is the center and source of our religious Community. We are united to one another through the sacrifice of the Mass and the reception of our Lord’s Body and Blood. As we gather around His presence in the Blessed Sacrament for our community prayers, we express and give witness to the unity of all mankind in eternity We are Women of Community Committed to the gift of sharing life together in the Lord's name; to support each other and to celebrate the joy of living in community. Friendships among our Sisters support the unity of the whole Community. A greater service can be offered to God as we share His work together in loving cooperation. Therefore, we cultivate and utilize our God-given talents for the glory of God, the advancement of the Church, and the good of our Community because the gifts of the Spirit are given to each one for the common good. Our life in community brings God’s many blessings upon our religious family. We are Woman of Service Our apostolic life flows from our life of prayer. It is one that changes work into prayer, and prayer becomes the very heartbeat of our life. Conscious that our apostolate bears fruit only to the degree that we are united to Christ, we permeate our entire apostolic activity with a religious spirit and fill our religious life with apostolic love. Only when our life is rooted in faith, hope, and charity, can we bring Christ to others. The life of Christ reflected in St. Francis inspires us to devote ourselves to care for the all people with great charity and joy. We are solicitous for the spiritual, physical, psychological and social well-being of the society for Jesus said, “Whatsoever you do for these, the least of my brethren, you do for me” (Mt 25:40). In the spirit of the Gospel, and like Francis and Clare of Assisi, and example of Mary, the FHIC is engaged in a diversity of ministries according to the Spirit of the Beatitudes through the practice of the works of Mercy. These include: Education and promotional services Pastoral Work, Youth and Catechesis Health Care and promotional Assistance to the Elderly Orphans and Homeless Missions and promotional O

Our Charism:

What is Charism? In General- This word indicates a personal gift of the Holy Spirit used for the good of the Church. This is a special gift of the Holy Spirit through our founders to participate in the official mission of the Church to make Christ present in the world. Listening and attentively reading, the appeals of the Spirit and of the signs of the times, prepared Fr. Raimundo and Mother Clara, so that, through them, the Church and the world may gratuitously receive from God, the Charism of Hospitality, an expression of His love and mercy towards all, specially the more needy. The spiritual climate in which our Charism blossoms, is strongly marked by the Franciscan Spirituality in the footsteps of St Francis and St Clare of Assisi and by a filial and loving devotion to the Immaculate Conception. This is the key of the reading, which permits us to understand the identity of a Franciscan Hospitaller Sister: Person chosen and consecrated by God, to follow Jesus Christ, in Fraternity, And to serve the brethren, specially the more needy, according to the spirit of the Beatitudes, in a process of continuous conversion. As a sister minor and after the example of Mary, Servant and poor, Hostess of the Word, commits herself to witness Hospitality, in Joy and simplicity, the specific Charism of her vocation, in communion with the Church, in a prophetic – missionary dimension inserted in the world and situated in time. Our presence and Mission in the world and in India to day: The Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FHIC) are an International Religious Community founded over 140 years ago by the faith-filled, courageous, and compassionate Madre Maria Clara of the Child of Jesus and Fr. Raimundo Beirao to "do good where good needs to be done" in: Hospitality, Fraternity, Prayer, Service, Simplicity, Joy. Our Vision to be the Franciscan Hospitaller presence in the spirit of hospitality to welcome the to the multiform expression of cultures, the fraternal service to life, promotion and the zeal for its restoration where ever it may be threatened or wounded Our Mission is to live Hospitality, as a human face of Divine mercy, that finds the suffering and there announces Jesus Christ as the savior and redeemer of humanity through our works in response to the signs of times W

Birth of the Congregation

Birth of the Congregation. It was at this juncture, Libania confided to Fr. Beirao, her inner desire, to love and serve God, in His people, specially the sick and poor. Since religious formation was forbidden in Portugal, Fr. Beirao, arranged in the Convent of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, of the Franciscan Sisters of Calais, France, where Sr. Maria Clara and her 3 companions had their Novitiate formation. After the rigorous formation, Sister Maria Clara made her Profession on the 14th April 1871 and returned to Lisbon on the 1st of May of the same year. It was on the 3rd of May 1871, when Fr.Beirao read the Letter of Obedience and declared Sr.Maria Clara to the Local Superior and the Mistress of Novices that the Congregation of the Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception was truly born. Like Fr. Beirao, Mother Clara, filled with the love of God, was untiring in her mission; to attend to the poor, care for children, look after orphans, shelter the aged, treat the sick, diminish needs… The Chronicler affirms: “She had a heart that was all tenderness and goodness, all compassion to sympathize with the weakness and misery of another, all charity to help. One could say her heart was in touch with the heart of Christ.” She did not even think of the causes of why so many innocent children were orphans. She did not question the egoism, exploitation or overwhelming injustice. She had but one objective: to welcome, teach, direct, give bread, love, dignity. The imagination, spurred by her goodwill and generosity created the space she wanted to offer the homeless. This new way of life kept attracting other followers. After some resistance from those in Authority, and many difficulties and sacrifices, on 22nd May, 1874, the Congregation was approved by the Portuguese Government. The Holy See also conceded its recognition through a Decree of Pope Pius IX, on 27th March, 1876. The same document nominated Sister Maria Clara, as Superior General of the Congregation. On the 3rd May, 1876, at a solemn ceremony, presided over by Fr. Beirao, Sister Maria Clara took charge of the office of the Superior General. From that moment, the sisters considered her as their Foundress and began calling her by the endearing name of “Mother”. To the newly founded and rapidly growing Congregation, Fr.Beirao was the guardian, defender and father of all the sisters . He was ready for any work or sacrifice to improve the economic situation of the community. Beginnings are always difficult; yet his trust in the Divine Providence and hard work was the great support to Mother Clara, to materially sustain a big religious family that had to face many obstacles from the Government as well as from the rich and the powerful. He not only looked after their material but also their spiritual needs. After two years of the fulfillment of founding a Portuguese Religious Congregation, exhausted by the hard work and sickness, Fr. Beirao died peacefully, on 13th July,1878. Mother Clara, who was barely 35 years old, had to shoulder the responsibility of leading a Congregation at a time in history, when women were considered to be 2nd class citizens, who were to be submissive to the orders of men. The government as well as other officials were not very encouraging. With her total trust in the Lord, and her conviction that “The Providential glance of God watches over us !” Mother Clara was able to nurture the Congregation which reached out to the thousands of poor and needy and which continues to do so in different parts of the world even today. As a soul open to all challenges, Mother Clara was ready for any sacrifice to respond to the calls of Evangelization. Angola received the first Missionaries, sent by Mother Clara, in February, 1883. The Missionaries to India, arrived on 24th May, 1886, in Goa. The sacrifices of the time cannot be explained. Yet, in the midst of all that was happening, such was their spirit of charity, the union among the sisters that, not even for a moment did they lose their joy of courage. According to the example of their Founders, they too place themselves I total availability to help all those who suffer. God raised Fr.Beirao, as another Vincent de Paul, to be “for Portugal, what Vincent was for France “.

Our Founders

Our Founders: In the middle of the XIX century, Portugal witnessed such a living Bible, in the persons of Fr. Raimundo dos Anjos Beirao and Mother Maria Clara of the Child Jesus. At this time of the history, in Portugal, as in the whole of Europe, everything was in a process of industrialization. The poor and the marginalized became a source of cheap labour, who are exploited and sacrificed unscrupulously, by the rich and the powerful. There was a constant increase in the socially challenged people; victims of sickness and epidemics, alcohol, illiteracy and moral degradation. The merciful and providential glance of God, looked at the misery of the Portuguese people and His Spirit ignited the hearts of Fr. Beirao and Mother Clara with the mercy and compassion of the Heart of Christ. Mother Clara. Born in Portugal, on 15th June, 1843, to Nuno Thomas and Maria da Purificacao, who were of noble lineage, she was baptized as Libania. Her early childhood years were happy ones, in the gentle ambience of a happy family, with the union among her parents and brothers and sisters. Yet a child, she knew what was pain and sorrow. The epidemic that spread through Lisbon enters their palace as well and snatches away her mother. It was her father Nuno Thomas, who guided her in her adolescence and helped her to cultivate superior values of the Gospel. A new epidemic, once again ravaged the country and Nuno Thomas and other relatives also succumbed to this disease. Libania, then joined the boarding, opened by the king, in his palace of Ajuda, for the orphans of the noble families. It is here the sisters, belonging to the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, of French origin, helped her to get healed of the wounds and to prepare herself to face the ups and downs of life. Five years of study, reflection, work and prayer forged her rich personality. But in 1862, the sisters, her Educators are expulsed from Portugal by the Government. She was invited by the Marchioness of Valada, great friends of her parents to live in the palace. “The youthfulness spent in the splendor of luxury, surrendered to the frivolous pleasures of the world…” did not satisfy her well formed heart. It is this restlessness that leads her to the tranquility of the Convent of St. Patricio, where lived the Religious – Capuchinas of our Lady of the Conception. It is there, she met Fr. Beirao, and opened her heart. His advice enlightened her path and she broke off from every tie and consecrated herself to God in the service of the needy. Fr. Beirao. 8th March, 1810, precisely thirty years before Libania, Raimundo Maria Ferriera da silva Beirao was born in Lisbon, Portugal. Born and brought up in pious Catholic family, he was touched by the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi and became a Franciscan Third Order Regular priest. But soon he found himself harassed by an anticlerical persecution and expelled from the Friary. Secretly, as and when possible, he continued exercising his priestly ministry; his ardor and apostolic zeal do not allow him to be discouraged in the face of obstacles. Even at the risk of his life, he is present where he feels his word and his alms would be beneficial. When the fury of the persecutors seemed to have calmed, he traveled throughout the country, preaching the Gospel and exercising charity. Communicating the love of God is the work of his life. Whatever money he received during his preaching ministry, he would give away immediately to the poor. He did not hesitate to ask for alms in order to give to the next needy person. He was deeply moved by the sufferings of his people. His charity towards them was unlimited. however the need was so much and he could reach out only to a few. His generous heart and creative mind, dreamt of starting a religious congregation of sisters, who would be totally dedicated to the suffering multitudes, thus reaching out to the sick and poor people, down the centuries.

The Living Bible

The living Bible. His name is Charles. He has wild hair, wears a T-Shirt, jeans with holes in it, and only casual slippers. This was literally how he walks about for days together. There are many, many young and old people like him on the streets. Across the street, there is a conservative church, where the worshipping community is well dressed and highly disciplined. One day Charles decides to go to this church. He walks in with slippers, jeans, his T-Shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Charles starts down the aisle, looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can’t find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Charles gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes that there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Charles. The deacon, is in his eighties, had silver – gray hair and was wearing a three – piece suit. He is a godly man, very elegant, very dignified, and very courtly. He walks with a cane, and as he starts walking towards this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can’t blame him for what he’s going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand a youngster, with unkempt hair and slippers, who walks and squats on the carpet, right in front of a dignified congregation ? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent, except for the clicking of the man’s cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can’t even hear anyone breathing. The minister can’t even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the carpet. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Charles, and worships with him so that Charles won’t be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control, he says, ”What I’m about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.” He then added, “ Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!”

Human profile of Mother Clara 1

1. Great balance of spirit. 2. Clarified, fast intelligence, extremely commanded 3. To be able of decision and determination – 4. Safe ortaleza of spirit and lady of itself 5. Delicate, gentile and grateful 6. Disciplined Diplomat Realistic and practical, 7. commanded Tender and affectionate Sensible to the good and Firm, 8. kind and glad the beauty 9. Simple and unfastened Of Patient, 10. comprehensive, tolerant generosity limitless Confident 11. It is what we can perceive of the human profile of Clear Mother. Probably, it possess the shades of its proper virtues. The firmness will be able to make her to be seen as an authoritarian, what it is rare. She is diplomat. It could use this diplomacy to be deceptive. It does not use. She could, at certain moments, to seem stubborn, repisando certain aspects where she thinks that justice was injured, but it is also capable to receive the reply, to silence and to obey. She is a person who has, of fact, a great domain on same itself, in such way neither that nor the proper offensives obtained to perceive until point had offended it. It is a cardio path, with most serious internal cardiac injury; she is an asthmatic and the asthma would be probably due to the heart. Each opposition could take it her to the bed, but it always remains itself in its rank. This power of determination makes of it a superior woman. The domain is perfect and it never speaks to nobody of what it feels.

Human Profile on mother clara

A vocation in the Church and for the Church When in Portugal it invigorated the prohibition of the religious Orders, is born in Lisbon, the 03 of May of 1871, the Congregation of Franciscans the Hospitable Sisters of the Immaculate Conceição. The Spirit of God excited new a charisma one in the Church, through the Foot. Raymond of the Beirão Angels and the Madre Maria Clara of the Boy Jesus, making to appear the Congregation as evangelical reply to the innumerable lacks with that if he debated the Portuguese people. The consequence of the liberal wars, of the bad agricultural years and emigration for the capital, of the lack of benefits and socorros of the clergy and the religious, extinct Orders in Portugal, sowed the misery, translated the organdie, the illness, the illiteracy, the familiar disaggregating, the forsaken and enslaved proletariat. “To make the good where it will have the good to make”, to become visible in the world the divine Mercy, to serve the sofredora humanity, of preference poor, it was practical of the Founders, for the exercise of the Hospitality, through the Workmanships of Mercy, according to Spirit of the Wells-being. Fast and for the numerous flow of vocations, the Sisters had fulled the country with its work in schools, boarding schools of poor children, homes of aged, hospitals, nursing the domicile, etc… As part of a Church missionary, in 1883, the Sisters had also left for the Missions: Angola, first e, successively, India, Guiné and Cabo Verde. Spread, today in 14 countries, the spirit of the origins, they keep similar workmanships to the first ones. In communion with the Church and predictive reply to the challenges of the times, they become shelter and service, next to who more needs.