Carmelitemissionaries

St. Francis Xavier Province, India

Friday, March 8



LILA ROSA RAMIREZ MONTES
has been elected as our new General Superior of the Carmelite Missionaries. With her 
team, she will lead the Congregation in the next sexennium 2024 – 2030.





 

Sunday, January 21

 " I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." Jn:11:25 

Jesus our Lord we believe you are the resurrection and the life. We thank you for the beautiful life of  Sr. Lilly Grace which she accomplished on this earthly journey by living her life for you and now entered into your heavenly life. Loving Lily you have won the eternal crown after battaling your life on this earth. Your love for Jesus and mission, done for the congregation and people will be never forgotten. We your companions Sarita, Roma and Manisha  remain  ever grateful for your companionship from the time of our formation till you said final good bye to us. The soul which we have lost may be gone but you will be never forgotten till we say goodbye to our own earthly journey.You live and will live  in our cherished memories always. Let's remain united always, You from above and we  from below here. Once again thank you so much. Pray for us as you are near to Jesus now.


By

Sr. Roma 

Monday, January 15

Its Adieu sis


 




“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. Henceforth 
there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness”.
The words of St Paul can well be applied to the life and the person of our beloved Sr. Arul Lilly Grace who was called to heavenly abode on the 13th January 2024, at the prime age of 45 out of which 22 years are lived as Carmelite Missionary in the Province of St Francis Xavier, India. 

Sr. Arul Lilly Grace Antony Samy was born on 15thApril 1978 at Sethidal, Tamil Nadu, India to Antony Samy Santhapan and Mangala Jaya Rani. She is the eldest of three siblings, a brother and a sister. She entered the Postulancy on the 29th June 1998 in Ahmedabad and Novitiate on the 21st May 1999, made temporary vows on the 6th May 2001 in Pune, and final vows on 25th May 2010 at Prithi Kunj, Mumbai. She served in Dediapada and rendered her service as a Bursar. At the time of her death she was a local superior in Bangalore. By profession she was a Dentist and she held Diploma in religious sciences.

Sr. Lilly Grace loved her vocation and lived it faithfully with much love and dedicated service. She was very diligent in carrying out her responsibilities. She never compromised her values and always stood for truth and was willing to pay the consequences. Straight forward by nature, because of which she was not always liked by others. She was genuine in her commitment and relationships. She cared for others with utmost sincerity and without counting the cost. She had the ability to endure hardships with faith and courage and a silent sufferer. Sympathetic in her dealings, she had special love for the least and the lost, ready and willing for any kind of service in spite of ill health. Lilly was a passionate missionary.

She was diagnosed with Scleroderma an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis in the skin and other areas of the body. When she was diagnosed of her infirmity she accepted it with great faith and courage and took utmost importance in taking care of herself without neglecting her duties. When her family came to know about the disease they requested her to return home, which she politely refused and never compromised her YES to the Lord.
 
With great confidence and power in the Mighty Healer Jesus Christ, she continued her life as a Carmelite Missionary. “Who can separate us from the love of Christ?” She did not look back though she knew what could be the end of this illness. 

Since December she had been suffering with fever and chest congestion, cold and cough but continued with her usual medication without going for further investigation. When the situation worsened, she was admitted to Ambika Nursing Home on the 22nd of December 2023 and was shifted to the ICU at St. John’s Medical Institute on the 23rd December. She showed certain improvement as doctors treated and there were hopes of recovery. However, her health started declining and was in and out of ICU for 3 weeks, eventually her health deteriorated rapidly and breathed her last on the 13th January 2024, where all her pains and sufferings came to an end.

The grain of wheat has fallen into the ground yielding fruit in abundance. Thank you dear Sr. Lilly, for being an instrument in the hand of the Lord in making Him known near and far by your life of love and compassion, commitment and surrender. Yes, Arul Lilly Grace with the strength and grace of the Lord has run the race, fought the good fight and now enjoys His presence wearing the crown of glory in the Lord. Though you are not physically with us, your love for all especially the sick and ailing, the poor and the downtrodden will be cherished for the days to come. Thank you dear sister for your gift of life, vocation and your exemplary life. 

The last rite of Sr. Arul Lilly Grace was held on the 14th January 2024, in Christa Parbhalaya Church, Jayanagar, Bangalore, presided over by Rev. Fr. Peter Mascarenhas, SMM, the Provincial Superior of Montfort fathers, in the presence of her parents, relatives, priests, nuns, people and sisters from various communities. Sr. Philomena Menezes, the Provincial Superior expressed her gratitude to all those who were present and served her during her illness. Her mortals were laid in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Brigade road, Bangalore.