Home A space that inspires harmony at the Our Lady of Fatima Monastery in India

A space that inspires harmony at the Our Lady of Fatima Monastery in India

Published on

9 January 2024

In 2017, the religious congregation of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, dedicated to contemplative life, established the Our Lady of Fatima convent in the Diocese of Tuticorin, South India.

The establishment of the monastery was made possible thanks to Bishop Yvon Ambroise of Tuticorin, who allocated two acres of land in the village of Kizhavaneri for its construction.

A great deal of work was put into the building so that the sisters would be well installed, but the monastery still lacked certain spaces important to the daily life of the congregation. The sisters required a sitting room and a guest room in order to fulfill their role providing for the spiritual needs of the village’s inhabitants.

Indeed, although cloistered, this religious congregation plays an important part in the life of the wider community of Tuticorin. Each day, one or two families come to visit the sisters, and on weekends, the faithful from neighbouring regions flock to the monastery. The nuns welcome between 100 and 150 visitors each month and between 2,000 and 3,000 per year, including those who make the pilgrimage for special occasions such the Feast of St. Clare, the Feast of St. Francis, Christmas and Easter.

Moreover, the Diocese of Tuticorin plays a vital role in this largely Hindu and Muslim society. Statistics for the state of Tamil Nadu, in which the diocese is situated, indicate that among the 2,590,000 inhabitants there are 429,103 Catholics. The members of the diocese provide extraordinary services to all, without regard to caste or belief, in a variety of areas, including education, health care, development and social awareness.

Thanks to the support of the Roncalli International Foundation, which invested $22,686, the congregation was able to make the desired additions. The enhancements brought by the sitting room and the guest room truly meet the needs of the community, as the nine sisters receive visitors on a daily basis who are seeking prayers, advice, conflict resolution sessions, faith formation and more. The space is also used by parish clergy and is an environment in which individuals of other faiths can be welcomed.

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