More than 200 faithful, along with 30 priests and over 15 women religious, gathered to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of the Daughters of St. Paul in India with a thanksgiving Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Pan Bazaar, Guwahati, in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, on June 29.
Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati presided over the Eucharistic celebration.
In his homily, Archbishop Moolachira thanked the Daughters of St. Paul for their 75 years of evangelization through books, magazines, Bibles, audiovisual media, and digital platforms.
"For seventy-five years, the sisters have tirelessly spread the Good News through books, magazines, Bibles, audiovisual media, and digital platforms," he said, adding that their ministry has strengthened the faith of countless people and brought hope to young people, families, educators, and others seeking meaning in life.
The archbishop also paid tribute to the generations of sisters whose lives of prayer and sacrifice have sustained the congregation's mission. He encouraged the sisters to continue the vision of their founder, Blessed James Alberione, reminding them that a jubilee is not only a celebration but also an opportunity to renew their commitment to God's mission.
Sr. Kabita of the Daughters of St. Paul, who is celebrating the silver jubilee of her religious profession this year, said the congregation's mission remains especially relevant in today's digital age.
"The Platinum Jubilee invites us all to renew our commitment to being faithful witnesses of the Gospel," she said, expressing hope that the sisters would continue to proclaim Christ with renewed zeal, wisdom, and joy.
Fr. Shanti Chandan Pani, vicar general of the Diocese of Rayagada in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, congratulated the congregation on its milestone and prayed that God would continue to bless its ministry.
The celebration continued with a cultural program in the parish hall. Pre-novices of the Holy Cross Sisters performed a dance to the hymn "Hail, Hail St. Paul," while members of the Society of St. Paul presented a program. A documentary, Read the Signs of the Times: From Word to the World, highlighting the congregation's mission, was also screened.
The Daughters of St. Paul first came to India from Italy on August 18, 1951, at the invitation of Cardinal Valerian Gracias of Bombay.
Today, the congregation has one province, 156 sisters, 17 communities, and 20 Pauline Book and Media Centers across India. The sisters serve in 16 dioceses, while Indian members of the congregation have also carried out missionary work in Austria, Italy, Peru, Bolivia, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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