The Catholic Church in Bangladesh continues to see steady growth in religious vocations, with more than 20 young women entering consecrated life in 2025. Among them is Sr. Akhi Rosline Rozario, a 30-year-old missionary from Gopalpur Parish in Natore district under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rajshahi.
She professed her first vows on September 7, 2025, in Rome as a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate (PIME Sisters).
A Growing Missionary Church
Christianity reached present-day Bangladesh more than three centuries ago through Portuguese missionaries. Today, the local Church is not only receiving missionaries but also sending them abroad, with over 50 Bangladeshi nuns are currently serving in different countries in pastoral ministry, education, healthcare, and social outreach. Sr. Rozario now joins this expanding group of missionaries working beyond national borders.
A Vocation Rooted in Childhood
Speaking to Radio Veritas Asia, Sr. Rozario said her calling began in childhood.
“When I was little, my mother used to say that one of her daughters would become a sister,” she recalled. “At church and in school, when the sisters asked who wanted to be a nun, I always raised my hand.”
She grew up closely connected to the PIME Sisters serving in her parish. Their prayer life and outreach activities left a strong impression. “They would take me to teach catechism or visit families in remote villages. I was drawn to their way of life,” she said.
Her interest deepened when she accompanied the sisters to communities where priests could not regularly celebrate Sunday Mass. “Families waited for the sisters. We prayed together and shared our faith. That experience showed me the meaning of mission,” she said.
Women of Gopalpur Parish greet Sr. Akhi with traditional respect.
Formation and Challenges
After completing her Secondary School Certificate examinations in 2013, she sought admission to religious life. Initially, her parish priest declined to issue the required recommendation letter, saying she was too young. With her mother’s support, she approached him again and eventually received approval.
She entered formation the same year, beginning a 12-year journey that included academic studies in Dhaka and later in Italy.
“Formation was not always easy,” she said. “There were moments of disagreement and personal struggle. But those experiences helped me understand myself better and grow in my vocation.”
In 2022, she moved to Italy, where she lived in an international community. “Living with sisters from different countries broadened my understanding of the universal Church,” she said.
Profession of Vows
On September 7, 2025, she professed her first vows in Rome. “It was a day I had waited for over twelve years,” she said.
She later returned briefly to Bangladesh, where her home parish organized a thanksgiving Mass on November 14. Parishioners welcomed her with prayers and a public reception.
Family and Mission
Sr. Rozario comes from a farming family. Her father is a farmer, her mother a homemaker. She has one elder brother and one younger sister. She credits her family’s faith and encouragement for sustaining her vocation.
She says she is particularly inspired by the congregation’s missionary focus. “Mission means reaching people who have not yet encountered Christ and witnessing through our lives,” she said.
Although she hopes to serve in remote villages, her superiors have assigned her to return to Italy for further studies in economics to assist her congregation administratively in the future. She has accepted the decision.
“Wherever I am sent, I will witness to Jesus among Christians and non-Christians,” she said. She also expressed a desire to help disadvantaged communities gain skills for sustainable livelihoods.
A Sign of Local Growth
Her journey—from a small village in northern Bangladesh to professing vows in Rome—reflects the evolving role of the Church in Bangladesh, where local vocations continue to expand and contribute to global missionary work.
