From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jun 23: Archbishop of Bangalore Most Rev Dr Bernard Moras has expressed his sadness at the demise of Sr Nirmala Joshi, who succeeded Blessed Mother Teresa as the Superior General of the Congregation of Missionaries of Charity, in Kolkata on Monday.
“I express my deep sorrow, heartfelt sympathy and sincere condolences to all the Sisters of Missionaries of Charity spread all over the world, and pray to God to give necessary strength and courage to all of them to accept this irreparable loss, and to carry forward Sr. Nirmala’s legacy of compassion, gentleness and service to the poorest of the poor and holiness of life,’’ the Archbishop said in a condolence message.
Archbishop Moras is the President of Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council and All Karnataka United Christians Forum for Human Rights.
Sr Nirmala was born in 1934 in Ranchi in Bihar to rich Brahmin parents. She was the eldest among the 10 children comprising 8 girls and 2 boys. Her maiden name was Kusum. She attended school run by the Sisters and was touched by their love for the poor and dedicated service. Sr Nirmala Joshi obtained her Master’s Degree in Political Science and studied Law. Having come in contact with Mother Teresa, she was fascinated by her simple way of life and love for the poor.
Sr Nirmala accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour, and embraced Christianity in 1958 at the age of 23.
In the year 1997, she was elected to succeed Mother Teresa as the Superior General of the Institute. Today, the Congregation of Missionaries of Charity has over 4000 Missionaries of Charity spread all over the world.
On her election as the Superior General, Sr Nirmala repeated the very words of Mother Teresa and called herself ‘a little pencil’ in God’s hands and stressed that He uses all of us to write the history of Charity.
The Government of India bestowed on Sr Nirmala the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award, on January 26, 2009 for her services to the nation.
Her term as Superior General ended on March 25, 2009, and she was succeeded by German-born Sr Mary Prema Pierick.