India: Priests recall nurturing love of Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy on their 375th Jubilee

Six Catholic priests who grew up in the care of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy (SJA) at an orphanage in Mondasoro, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, have expressed heartfelt gratitude to the congregation as it celebrates 375 years of dedicated service to humanity.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy, Bhubaneswar Province, marked their Terquasquicentennial Jubilee on October 8, 2025, with a solemn Eucharistic celebration attended by over 20,000 participants, including clergy, religious, alumni, and lay faithful. The celebration was enriched with traditional dance, arati, and a Bible procession, reflecting the community’s deep faith and cultural heritage.

Speaking at the event, Fr. Dushmonth Nayak, one of the six priests formed under the sisters’ care, said, “We thank the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy, whose nurturing hands shaped our childhood at St. Vincent’s Orphanage, Mondasoro. Their loving service in our early years was a holy reflection of divine care. By taking us in as orphans and raising us with love and faith, they mirrored the compassion of God Himself. We honor our sisters for their unwavering love and care that laid the foundation for our vocation.”

Another alumnus, Fr. Manoj Nayak, now the Parish Priest of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Church, Mondasoro, shared,

“The Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy extended their care far beyond the classroom. They dedicated their lives to serving orphans and underprivileged children, providing not just education, but love, protection, and hope. Their tireless commitment is a living testimony to Christ’s words: ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

He added that the sisters’ example calls everyone back to the Gospel roots of learning, “where knowledge is united with faith, and love is at the heart of every action.”

Among the six priests who grew up under the sisters’ care, three had lost their fathers, one had lost his mother, while the others came from difficult family circumstances during their early childhood years at the Mondasoro boarding school.

The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy was founded in 1650 by Fr. Jean-Pierre Médaille, SJ, in France, with the mission of caring for the sick and the poor. The sisters arrived in India in 1849 through the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) and established themselves in the Diocese of Visakhapatnam.

Their mission expanded over time: a station at Cuttack was opened in 1872, followed by Jokalandi in 1989–90, and Mondasoro in 1979, where they took charge of the boarding school and opened a health center for local villagers. In 2005, a new mission was started at Sankarakhol, and today, the Bhubaneswar Province continues this legacy of compassionate service.

As the congregation celebrates 375 years of grace-filled service, their life and witness continue to inspire countless others to serve with faith, humility, and love.