Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church –21
Mother Anastasia H.M.
Mother Anastasia was born on June 10, 1920, as the eldest of ten children of V. Joseph, a leader of the freedom struggle and a public worker, from the ancient and esteemed Elanjikal family of Kothamangalam, which has made numerous distinguished contributions to the Kerala Christian Church. She completed her school education in Kothamangalam itself.
In religious study classes, she learned about the missionary work conducted by missionaries in various parts of India and the sacrifices they endured. She decided to go to remote areas to engage in missionary work, spread the message of Christ, and participate in pastoral care. At that time, nuns from the Kurisinh’s congregation arrived in Kerala to accept novices. Among them, 15-year-old historical figure Anastasia went to Kolkata. Her first vow was taken on October 22, 1938, in Kersiom. After the vow, she was assigned to work at the Gangapur mission. Although she was a teacher there, she also engaged in house visits and religious education. Father Edmund Harrison, the founder of the congregation, was pleased with her work. Sister Anastasia’s mission spirit continued to attract attention. She made her final vows on January 11, 1945, in Kolkata.
Father Hermann Westermann, S.V.D., was consecrated as the bishop of the newly formed Sambalpur diocese. He extended special consideration to the Marian Daughters of the Church. He moved their residence closer to his bishop’s house and invited the Sisters of the Cross to provide training. This responsibility was entrusted to Sister Anastasia. When she took over this role in 1952, she gradually integrated with that community. Sister left her own congregation and joined the Marian Daughters on March 25, 1964. It was after serving the Daughters of the Cross for ten years that she became recognized in this role. That same year, the General Chapter of the Marian Daughters’ congregation approved the constitution. During that chapter, Sister Anastasia was elected Superior General. She simultaneously held the positions of Novice Mistress, local Superior, and Superior General. She conducted annual visits to Kerala to recruit new members.
Many of the novices from Kerala had limited education. Since the medium of novitiate training was English, it was challenging for them to understand. Consequently, the role of Novice Mistress was very arduous. Sister Anastasia provided the novices with adequate training to perform effective service in the missionary field.
In 1964, Sister was once again elected as Superior General. The novices, captivated by her personal greatness, easily embraced her high ideals. As a local Superior, Sister Anastasia was a strict yet loving mother. She paid attention to everyone’s problems, listened, and took appropriate actions.
As Superior General, her organizational skills and planning were extraordinary. She recognized the capabilities and aptitudes of her subordinates and assigned them appropriate responsibilities. Despite their shortcomings, Sister Anastasia did not disregard anyone. She was never disrespectful to anyone. She traveled extensively to address issues, often walking long distances. At the same time, she was a brave woman, a patient mother, a diligent worker, and a modest speaker. She had fixed times for prayer, reading, and other activities. She was also a skilled writer and an expert cook. Her expertise extended to activities like cup making and other crafts.
The accuracy of her reports and the results she achieved were always beneficial to the Sisters. As one of the provincial leaders of the Marian Daughters of the Church mentioned, “Sister Anastasia’s transition has been a significant loss to us and a tremendous gain to the Marian Daughters.”
Under Sister Anastasia’s leadership, the Marian Daughters’ congregation achieved remarkable growth. Today, the congregation includes trained doctors, educators, and social workers both locally and abroad. The sisters now run high schools, hospitals, and shelters for leprosy patients, in addition to their missionary work.
Sister worked among tribal communities in Orissa for an extended period. The Indian Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, praised the work among these tribal communities. Sister also had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in person. This congregation has 54 houses in North India and two houses in Kerala.
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