The Congregation of the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters blossomed in the bosom of the Church in the closing years of the 19th Century in the fruitful soil of Mangalore. It is on a great day of Easter Sunday on 10th April in 1887, Fr Urban Stein, a German Jesuit the then parish Priest of Rosario Cathedral Mangalore put at ease the great desire of a band of Virgins numbering twelve by founding a new religious Association of lay apostles in his own parish church. Mother Rose Saldanha and Mother Mary Agnes Mathias United the Ursulines in strict community life. Due to their effort on 13th May 1934 the Congregation was canonically erected by Rt Rev. Dr V. R Fernandes, the then Bishop of Mangalore. Finding the need for the Service of the Sisters in the Parish Rev Fr. Denis Joseph D’Souza the then Parish priest of Milagres Church Kallianpur invited the Sisters and hence St. Rose convent was established in June 1950.
After the death of Mother Rose on 2nd Jan 1949 St. Rose convent was erected at Kallianpur in loving memory of this great person of our congregation on the first of June 1950. Thanks to the efforts of Rev Fr. D J ‘Souza who was the real instrument to invite the Ursulines and thus open a new house at Kallianpur. Having a humble beginning the three pioneers occupied the old, thatched house, next to the church compound given by the generosity of Mr. Ignatius Lewis. Here we also remember in gratitude the help, concern and guidance given to us by Rev. Fr. Tellis the then Headmaster of the School.
Thus St.Rose Convent had triple objectives in view for its erection namely: (i) Catechizing and evangelization, (ii) Educating children and (iii) Helping in the pastoral activities along with the village apostolate.
Gradually the Sisters felt the need of a chapel of their own. So, with the encouragement of the parish priest Rev. Fr. D.J.D Souza, a chapel building was put up and the same was blessed by Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond D’mello the then Bishop of Mangalore on 12th November 1959. The progress in the apostolate and the consequent growth in the size of the community demanded at least a remodelling of the convent building. The work was valiantly undertaken and the same was inaugurated on the 14th of Nov 1968 by Rt. Rev. Dr. Basil S D’Souza the Bishop of Mangalore.
The Sisters for the past seventy three years involved in various ways such as teaching catechism to the children particularly preparing them for the first holy Communion, Confirmation and other Sacraments, attending to the choir, maintaining discipline in the church, preparing vases, decorating the altar ,distribution of communion and participating actively in the SCC prayer in different wards of the parish, visiting the sick, praying in the families of sick and aged who are confined, conducting Rosary in the house of sick people ,conducting way of the cross in Lenten season, helping the poor children and so on. From 1950 the sisters rendered yeomen services in educating the children in the primary school till July 2010, when the only surviving Sister in the teaching post retired. There is no hope of a new appointment either in that place as there is excess staff under the management.
The resources became very meagre for sustaining the Community with the retirement of teaching Sisters in the school. To make the community self-sufficient Rose Play School was started in the year 2006.To make the place more convenient and conducive for the little kids the play School needed renovation and modification which incurred heavy expenditure. Meanwhile with the emergence of NEP St Rose play school also closed in 2023. Thus, the future existence of St. Rose Convent became very bleak, unless some new avenues were provided to maintain the community the future seemed uncertain. But due to the closure of Amruthlalji Aided High School, Kelarai that was under Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society Sr. Anitha Dsouza J got transferred to Milagres Kannada Medium Aided High School on 07/07/2023 as Headmistress that became a ray of hope for the future. The house has been providing opportunities for the young Sisters to pursue their academic studies in the Milagres College. At present there are seven Sisters residing at St. Rose Convent under the able animator Sr. Wilma Dsa.
The members of Ursuline Franciscan Lay Association formed in the year 2013 April have been a great support to the sisters to carry on the works of Mercy under the inspiration of the Patron Saints and the pioneers of the Congregation. God has been generous in providing us with all the needed graces and has sustained us in all major and minor renovation works of the Convent building during the past 73 years.
Here I wish to say a word of big thanks to the Provincial Superior of Mangalore Province, the past and present Parish Priests for their guidance, help in catering to our dire needs and for all those well-wishers and donors of the parish who have directly or indirectly contributed for the growth of this Community.
Sr. Wilma D’Sa
Superior, St. Rose Convent