The Daughters of St. Paul marked the platinum jubilee of their arrival in India with a thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration on June 30, coinciding with the Feast of St. Paul, their patron.
Archbishop John Rodrigues of Mumbai presided over the Mass at St. Theresa's Church in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai, India's financial capital. He was joined by Bishop Thomas D'Souza of the Diocese of Vasai, about 30 priests, religious, benefactors, collaborators, and members of the faithful.
The celebration commemorated 75 years of the Pauline Sisters' mission, honoring the pioneering sisters who arrived in India to begin the congregation's apostolate of evangelization through the media.
In his homily, Archbishop Rodrigues reflected on the words of the congregation's founder, Blessed James Alberione: "Everything comes from God and everything leads to Magnificat." He said the founder possessed the grace to discern God's will at every stage of his life, a gift that inspired the first Pauline missionaries who came to India 75 years ago.
"We thank God for the great insight of Blessed James Alberione and for those pioneers who came 75 years ago to India to begin a mission," he said.
Drawing from the day's Scripture readings, the archbishop said Christians are called to become bearers of Christ's light in the world.
"The light must shine," he said, explaining that God's light enlightens minds and hearts, enabling people to recognize what is right and wrong. He praised the Daughters of St. Paul for spending the past 75 years helping people encounter Christ through their media apostolate, deepening their knowledge of God and encouraging them to become witnesses of the Gospel.
He urged the sisters to continue allowing the light of Christ to shine through their words and actions, not for recognition but so that others may be inspired to follow Christ.
Reflecting on the conversion of St. Paul, Archbishop Rodrigues described the apostle's transformation from persecutor to missionary as a powerful witness to God's saving grace.
"May others also experience the transformation of God through you," he told the sisters, encouraging them to continue leading people to Christ through their apostolic ministry.
Concluding his homily, Archbishop Rodrigues invited the congregation to continue following the example of its founder and the pioneering sisters by witnessing to God's transforming love, leading others to Christ, and giving thanks to God in the spirit of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Following the Eucharistic celebration, a cultural program was held during which the congregation honored and felicitated its five former provincials in recognition of their dedicated service to the Pauline mission in India.
