The Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo

Kamba village, Varap post, shahad, Kalyan west,
Thane Dist, Maharashtra, India - 421103

St. Charles Convent, Kanaparru 1987

Vision of the Mission at Kanapparu:

“To establish the reign of God through Christian education and socio-pastoral care”

The installation of the second community in Andhra was at Kanaparru, Guntur Dt., which happened twenty years after the first community in Chilakaluripet that was established in 1967.

The mission bloomed with the children in the diocesan elementary school aided by the government that was handed over to the sisters. Rt. Rev. Dr. Gali Bali, DD, Bishop of Guntur had at last his desire fulfilled by planning a religious community in this village of dense Catholic population. The reception of the sisters in the village was celebrated with joy. The well with sweet source of water was their first gift to the sisters. On June 6, 1987, Srs. Lovina, Amala Chinnarani and Elizabeth Marineni, began their life in the new mission busying themselves with the freshly assigned responsibilities.

The rented house in the middle of the village where the sisters lived was turned into a boarding house for girls on January 7, 1988.

In course of time the sisters discovered that there were other things which claimed their primary attention. Setting up a proper boarding home for the children from the hamlets around Kanaparru to check the number of dropouts and a health centre to overcome the dangers caused to the patients due to delay in reaching the hospitals in the towns for lack of transport facilities etc. A dispensary most welcomed by the people of Kanaparru and other villages around and it was constructed in a five acre land procured by the sisters in the outskirts of the village. Part of this dispensary building was occupied by the sisters till a convent building was built in the same campus and was blessed on May 16, 1991.

The elementary school where Sr. Elizabeth Marineni was a staff member was upgraded into middle school in the year 1996. On retirement of the Headmaster of the school that year Sr.Elizabeth Marineni was promoted as the headmistress. The old school building in the church campus was not sufficient for the growing strength of the school. On September 20, 1995 the new school building constructed in the convent premises was blessed. Thus all the apostolic activates started functioning in the convent campus that was a little distance away from the village.

Upgrading further, the RC Middle School into High School was discussed. The high school that was stared in the year 2001 is purely self financed, supported by the province. The opposition came from the political parties in the village, and they were at loggerheads with each other but the sisters put up a brave front to obtain the recognition order for the school. One has to experience to know what the joy and satisfaction the sisters feel when they meet the girls and boys who are counted among the educated because of ‘St. Charles High School’ in Kanaparru.

In the year 2014 St. Charles high school was closed due to lack of strength and the boarding for children also was closed down in the year 2015. R.C.M Elementary school strength also was very poor since the teachers were sent to other schools on deputation.

In the year 2015 we planned to start a home for the aged women with the help of a couple called Reddymasu Maraiah and Jecintha, who wished to support us financially for this project in memory of their parents. After consulting the Provincial Rev .Sr. Virgy and her team, we started this home in our campus utilising the vacant Dispensary building. On July 2015 the first inmate from Pirangipuram was admitted and gradually the number increased to eight. The number started dwindling and in May 2019 we closed it down since the seekers of such service was not found in the surroundings.

At present the only apostolate we are engaged with is the Matriculation School. All the four sisters in the community are engaged in the mission of Education.

Important Dates
  • June 6, 1987- opening of the Convent.
  • June 6, 1987- opening of the Convent.
  • May 16, 1991 - Blessing of the Convent building.
  • September 20, 1995- Blessing of the school building.
  • 1995 - The R.C.M School was shifted to the convent campus.
  • 2014 R.C.M. School was closed down and St. Charles English Medium School was started.
  • 2015 old age home for women was started.
  • 2019 old age home was closed down.