2.Sr Cicily(1897-1950)

Embodiment of Asceticism

  Sr Cicily (Aleykutty)was born as the only girlchild the pious parents Anthony and Anna in 1897 in the noble family Madathiparambil in the village Kizhakkambalam near Aluva. She was the beloved sister of four brothers who later became a sister of SD. Not merely a sister but brave, humble soul one of the pioneer sisters who received very powerfully the charism of the Congregation of SD in her heart.

She received only pre-primary education. Nevertheless, the eternal love of God blessed her with the gift of wisdom. That divine wisdom and heavenly love grew as an unquenchable thirst to be united with Him. Her father always encouraged her to grow in the love of Jesus. She had a special concern for the poor. She had an earnest desire to respond to the call of Jesus and to live for Him. Driven by the inner urge of the love of God she spent her days and nights in fasting, prayer and penance. She shared her desire to start a convent to serve the poor  with her friend Thresia Kalaparambil of the same parish. The other four young virgins who had the same inspiration of Sr.Cicily made many attempts to achieve their goal. When they could not attain the desired result, they were not disheartened as Sr.Cicily stood by their group as its strength and inspiration. Finally the will of God was revealed favourably through the authorities of the church.This passionate love,firm faith and confidence enabled her to be faithful to her ideals and to participate in the sufferings with greater love. Sr Cicily spent a lot of time on her knees in the presence of blessed Sacrament,experiencing his merciful love and shared it with others by words and deeds of love. She worked hard for the community with a fire of love burningwithin her.Sr.Cicily imbided the charism of SD congregation in its totality.

She had a lowly disposition as she was fully aware of her nothingness. She considered others greater and more important than herself.  As she was mindful of the needs of others, she was ever on the alert to meet their every need. Sr. Cicily was ready to set aside her needs to reach out to others the destitute and the labourers in particular. By bearing the burden of others she made their lives pleasant. Sr.Cicily expressed her respect and submission to her superiors. Her life was aglow with the spirit of austerity, penance, and mortification. She practiced frugality and simplicity in her food and clothing. Sr.Cicily had a deep experience of kenosis when she could not make her perpetual profession along with others. However, she accepted it in faith and humility and thus identified herself with Christ, who humbled himself. Sr.Cicily, the gem of the congregation was shaped in the crucible of suffering with the love of Jesus.

1. Sr.Josephina(1896-1977)

Nobility in Lowliness

 Sr Josephina of KUppiyil Eakkala is the first member SD,a young virgin who had mastered the humble and simple life of Jesus.She was born of the couple Joseph and Eli at Kizhakkambalam village in the family of Kuppiyil Edakkala on 10^th of January 1896.Her father was a teacher of a pre -primary school. From that master she received her primary education. God has given her a special gift to grasp things immediately, reflect intelligibly and take decisions.

When she turned from teenage to youth, she heard in her inner soul, a divine voice, God’s call for some special mission. In order to recognize that call and give response to it, she was immersed in fervent prayer and penance. The members of the family have still kept her in prayer room and crucifix with great care   and honour, in her own house. During that time itself another four young ladies in her own parish happened to hear the same sort of divine call shared their divine aspirations. These are the pioneers of SD who came forward with courage to surrender their total life to God and others especially for the poor. Thresia was the senior most among them who had been waiting    for a long time to make    her call a reality. This Thresia-Sr Josephina was the first member of the “Little Sisters of The Poor”.On 3^rd July1932 was her first profession and professed perpetually on 1946, July 19.

 Her mind remained rooted in the simple faith born of baptism, even while she chose a life without any financial security or protection. She would meditate using a book for this purpose and would pray by fixing her inner gaze on the Lord in the Eucharist .This meditation and prayer earned  for her the lowliness and simplicity of Jesus. She was quite contented it her awareness that she was the humblest of all. She had a demeanour with others that was anything but sincerity without any mask. The nobility of this lowly life is revealed through showing reverential respect, love and humility at the approach of any superior however tired she was. Her sisters felt deeply her empathy and promise of prayers in their difficulties.

 Jesus “though he was rich, yet for your sake she became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich”(2Cor.8:9)this words had influenced Sr.Josephina. Thus the first member of The Little Sisters of The Poor lived her life in the awareness that she was poor and significant.

Her large heartedness is expressed in her concerns for the welfare of the sisters while taking care of the  needs herself, without bothering others and be well informed of the up-to-date situation of the community after careful and timely enquiry. She partook in the sufferings of Jesus by silently shouldering whatever difficulties encountered in her own daily life.

3.Sr.Gertrude(1900-1987) 

(Magnetic Presence of SD)

Sr. Gertrude,(Rosa) daughter of Mr Antony and Mrs Alley Mazhuvanchery, was born on 15^th May 1900 in Kizhakkambalam. She was filled with joy because of her sincere love, appreciation and respect for the congregation. She had a tender love towards the Superiors and her fellow Sisters. In the suffering of others, she would pray sincerely like an affectionate mother.

Sr. Gertrude was always joyful. She was innocent and practised forgiving love. Even in slight offences she would ask forgiveness immediately. She would kneel before Superiors accepting her mistakes and ask pardon. She was a great devotee to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She took great pride   in saying with her heavenly y patroness that if Jesus was not in the tabernacle, He would be in her heart. This Christ experience was the source of her joy and forgiving love. As she never enjoyed a good health, she was exempted from heavy duties. She could spend a lot of her time in prayer and inspire others to pray without ceasing. Her conversation at work or at recreation was edifying.

She was insistent on doing everything in its perfection. This sense of perfection, punctuality neatness and cleanliness in her dress were signs of her interiority. Gentle as she was, she had a soft corner for the poor and the destitute. She had a great affection and love for the newcomers to religious life. While dealing with them she shared her faith experiences and initial struggles of SD encouraging and helping them spiritually. In her last days she used to express her inner aspirations to be united to her beloved Jesus. On 21^st July 1987, her divine spouse called the faithful loving bride to the heavenly abode.

4. Kochuthresia(1903-1977)

(Canticle of God’s Glory)

Among the brave virgins who came forward to build up the SD congregation, Sr. Kochuthresia stands out as a person filled with God-given talents and gifts. She was born on 15^th April 1903, as the daughter of Mr. Anthony and Mrs.Mariam Ottancherry of Chunangamveli.

She was blessed with interior silence, spirit of prayer, lowliness of heart and prudence. With her jovial nature, she made the community happy. She lived in the presence of God and shred her Christ-experience with her Sisters at recreation and workplace. Kochthresia didnot have any higher education, but was very intelligent and wise. She was submissive, obedient and respectful towards her Superiors. Proficient in tailoring and cooking, she trained her younger sisters in a very skilful manner. She was easily approachable. Her simple lifestyle and spirit of poverty stood out in her life. The spirit that the Founder transmitted through her in the service of the sick persons remains as a patrimony to the congregation for ever. The Christ-experience that proceeds from seeing Christ in every sufferer and the good news of intense love born of sharing the compassionate love in acts of mercy permeated in the SD through Sr.Kochuthresia. Capable of grasping and personalizing anything spiritual and temporal she began to grow in wisdom and holiness. She gained self-discipline by controlling her senses which was evident in her interpersonal relationship. Sr.Kochuthresia used to be keen to observe devotional practices and to keep the daily timetable meticulously and with self-discipline even on her sickbed..Her lowly life went ahead in accordance to the plan of God with little complaint or preference to anything. She firmly believed in the dictum “if you keep the rule, the rule will keep you”.

    St Josephina, Sr Cicily,Sr.Gertrude and Sr Kochuthresia the pioneers  are the architects who built the fortress of “Divine Compassion”. They are our noble guides who left a remarkable trail of love. Their faithfulness in making the hurdles into challenges and the way, they responded  is very inspiring. Their firm determination, untiring effort and the constant search till achieving the goal is a light to our path. The pioneers have the following message for its posterity: ‘They found religious fulfilment in sharing the compassionate love Jesus with the poor, by submitting themselves to the will of God and by accepting the experiences of humiliation and self emptying for the sake of the little ones of Jesus’