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23rd June 2016, SAME, Tanzania: The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters [UFS] congregation in East Africa (Tanzania & Kenya) celebrated the twin jubilee celebrations on 23rd June 2016 at Regional house Assisi, SAME Tanzania. It was the celebration and thanks giving for the gift of religious life of Sr. Reema who celebrated her silver Jubilee & Sr. Edilburgawho celebrated her golden jubilee.

Day Began with the thanks giving Holy Eucharist celebrated by Rev. Fr. Filbert and many priests were concelebrants from different parts of same diocese. With harmonious choir sisters of UFS congregation helped all to take part meaningfully in the Eucharist.

After the short break the felicitation program began in which Rev. Sr. Veena, the regional superior welcomed everyone.Jubilarions were greeted with wonderful word of gratitude, Songs, dance and with gifts.Junior sisters & novices presented the cultural programs.

Sr. Reema was greeted by Sr. Sernais& Sr. Edilburga was greeted by Sr. Venitha with words of appreciation & thankfulness. In response Sr. Edilburga shared her feeling and thanked God for all the blessings he showered on her and on Sr. Reema. She also appreciated all the sisters of her congregation. At the end Sr. Anna proposed the vote of thanks.

Sr. Helen Compared the program. Sumptuous Meal was prepared for all. Around 200 faithful witnessed this program.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit sings to god my saving God
These are the words of Mary our dear Mother which are whispered in the depth of Sr. Reema&Sr. Edilburga as theyring the Silver & Golden bells of their religious life.

SR. REEMA
Sr.Reema was born on 16/3/1967 to a loving family of Marcel D`Souza and Mercine Pereira. She is second born among five children in her family. She began her primary education at St Mary’s` school and secondary education in government school in Mangalore. After her studies she made a good decision to leave her family members dear and near friend’s worldly things and to choose to start to live religious life that was in 1987 where she joined the congregation.After finishing her formation she did her first profession in 1991.

From 1993-1998 she did her nursing course at Fr. Muller’s Hospital and in 1998 she did her final profession.  From then she was sent as a missionary to North East –India whereby she rendered her service as a medical and a social worker. After four years of service, she was chosen among the 10 sisters to be sent to Tanzania as a missionary, on 13th June 2004.She was appointed as a superior and councillor at Assisi Convent .whereby she served for 5years and in 2010 she was sent to Visiga Coastland to begin a new convent. She served for 4years there and in 2015 she was transferred to Nairobi Kenya to work as a nurse at Mother of Mercy Hospital where she is working till today.

Sr.Reema has hard working spirit. She is Prayerful. She has love for the poor and the needy, simple of heart, prayerful, faithful to the mission entrusted to her, hospitable, caring, lover of nature, ever ready to serve and to do the will of God. As today we thank for her journey of 25 years of service to the church as a religious. We thank God and the congregation, parent’s friends and all well-wishers for supporting in her spiritual journey. Thank you sister for responding to the call of God and through your readiness to serve you have drawn many people to God. May God bless you for many more years to come SrReema.

SR. EDILBURGA
Sr. Edilburga was born on 25th September 1945 to a devote family of Mr. Raymond Monteiro and Mrs. Christine D’Souza inAngelore parish in the Diocese of Mangalore. She is forth born among eight children. God loved the Monteiro family so much that he chose four among the eight to serve in His Vineyard.

Sr. Edilburga completed her primary education in the guardian angels school and moved to Capitanio for her high School in Mangalore. Her parents instilled in her a strong catholic faith that, as a student she was inspiring her friends to pray during the free hours which gradually moved her to respond to the God’s call. After her studies she became a steno typist and served in St. Mary’s high schoolMargil for 2 years as a clerk. Her religious vocation was constantly moving her heart to respond to God’s call and after helping her family she decided to join the convent of UFS.

She chose this congregation particularly because she witnessed the services of Ursuline sisters in the remote villages of Mangalore. Her heart was always beating for the poor that her priority became the poor and marginalized in her mission. After her junior college she was sent to Mater dei for two years Theological course where she equipped skills of a formator and a spiritual guide. Sensing her proficiency she was appointed as the assistant novice directress for two years and later as the incharge of the Novitiate for six years. Thereafter she was elected as the counselor General and incharge for the formation of the sisters in the congregation.

Her zeal for the poor and the powerless was so intense that she volunteered as a missionary in the north Eastern part of India and became a pioneer and served the mission for six years as mission Superior.

God works in mysterious ways, He works in wonderful ways…….this came true in the life of Sr. Edilburgaas she was elected as Superior General in the year …..1992. And served the congregation with firm determination for twelve years. When she finished her term as superior general she desired to serve the mission in Africa and with ten sisters she landed in Tanzania in a place called SAME. It’s now six years she was the formator and mission superior later she continued to serve the mission by supporting the sisters and formees in the region. Now she continues to be the junior directress and assistant regional superior and guides the destiny of the region. She is a formator all through her life.

She is known for her simplicity and deep spirituality she has great love for the poor. We admire her spirit of hard working and hospitality. Her dynamic leadership, exceptional insights and far sight endeavours, inexhaustible zeal and total commitment for mission, genuine concern towards the sisters and formees will set Sr. Edilburga apart as the fine leader of the congregation. Today we pray God’s choicest blessings on her and her family and her near and dear one’s. May God bless her withstrength & good health.