Meina 1996

October1996: Rev.Mother General Andrea received an invitation letter from the Nuncio Apostlic Rev. Giovanni Battista Moretti of Belgium who was a resident of Meina by birth to send the sisters to Italy Arona the birth place of St. Charles Borromeo. There had arisen a greate and urgent need of sisters’ presence to take over the incharge of old people for their spiritual moral psychological and physical care at the exisiting Casa di Riposo Ratti at Meina which is 7 kilometres from Arona. Rev.Mother General Andrea visited the mission place with Sr. Alex her councillor after much reflection and prayer and consultaion took up the challenge.

The Belgian Province was very enthusiastic seeing a hope and new life offered to Europe ofcourse the support had come from India too. Srs.Alex Ephrezina and Marie Stella were selected for the new mission. Sr.Ephrezina was called from Poland Sr.Stella from Belgium both reached Italy on the 25th of November1996.Sr. Stella was Accompanied by Provicial Sr. Eliane from Belgium. Rev.Monsi. Moretti had made the arrangements with Srs. Of Our Lady of Mercy in Italy at Sesto Calendefor the pioneers sisters to stay and to learn the italian language. The sisters were very hospitable they took care of us and made arrangements for the Italian classes from a ladynamed Maria Zorzanna who was a very good teacher every day she took 3hours per day the lessons and taught the sisters to read and learn the language within a very short period and continued the lessons in Meina once we started our mission in Meina. She used to come by train to our house. Sr.Alex joined the the sisters to form the new community on the 21st of December then we proceded to Casa di Riposo Meina on the 23rd of December.

On 17th January 1997 Sisters Of St.Charles took up the full incharge of the the beautiful mission of the Casa di Riposo. Within no time the sisters took up all the charges like ordering the food items nursing care maintence of the house and the surroundings helping in the administrative works laundry and so on. The sisters were prepring for mass everyday and accompaning the old people by reciting the rosary twice a day. Later on in the month of june Sr.lillane joined the mission followed by Sr. Bede. Our pesence in the mission was very much appriciated by the local priests and religious. So in 2003 one more parish priest came to ask us to start the mission in Crusinallo. So in 2004 a 2nd community is started. In 2010 one of Monsi. Moretti’s friend Don Franco doneted us12.000,00 Euros to buy a car for the community. He was admitted in casa di Riposo. Till 2010 Sisters were working as volunters . In 2010 Srs.Ephrezina and Hazel wrote the exam in Italy to equalise their certficates. So then onwards they are working as nurses.

Later on there was difficulty for the sisters to stay in at the casa di riposo since they were extending the institution to put up some more extra beds since there was a demand from the local people. So we had to shift our residence to a close by appartment for which the rent is paid by the casa di Riposo. But there was very little place there was no blessed sacrament in our house after two years again we had to shift our residence to another appartment. Even here there is no proper rooms and we are deprived of many things . Whenever some guests came we did not have place for them to stay so the house sisters have to vacate their beds for he guest sisters. Still these difficulities are exisiting. Since at present the administration is not very much intrested in the need of the sisters in this casa di Riposo. They have found the local nurses and taken away many responsibities of the sisters. So there is a question if they need the sisters? At present we have to pay the heating system, water, electricity, appartment maintenance so on. This is the problem we are facing now.

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