Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis

Sr. M. Renita

My life is a visible sign of the everlasting love of God

Introduction
Renita Thenakara is the youngest daughter of her parents T. K. Lukose and Achamma. There are five children, two sons and three daughters. She was born on August 27, 1974, in a village called Kaipuzha, Kottayam Dt., Kerala state. She belongs to the diocese of Kottayam.

Childhood
As a small girl she remembers her grandmother teaching her prayers. Her granny was an inspiration for her to be humble and simple in life. Her father had a small shop and the family lived with the income he got from it. Unfortunately she lost her father when she was ten years old due to heart attack. She has seen the struggles of her mother to educate her, to bring her up according to the status of the society of that time. In every step she took, God’s visible signs of love accompanied her.

School Life
She studied in the school managed by the diocese of Kottayam administered by the Visitation Sisters of Kottayam diocese and she was an average student.

Vocation to Religious Life
 As her school life was with sisters she had a great affection towards them. She recalls that an elderly sister used to take few of them to the convent chapel and used to teach them to pray ejaculatory prayers. As she completed her 10th class, she expressed her desire to join any missionary congregation like the one of her cousin who was a seminarian in Raipur diocese. He gave the address and within a week, Sr. M. Rosy, who belongs to our congregation, came to her house, introduced her about our congregation, and told her to be at Ernakulam Railway Station on May 19, 1991. Overjoyed with this sudden invitation, she rushed for certificates from the parish priest. Since there were four congregations in that same diocese, the parish priest hesitated to give her the certificate; he rather forced her to join the congregation in her parish. Going to him many times to get the letter, her mother too was discouraged to send her. Anyhow, four days before the day of her journey, the priest gave her the certificate. Not knowing what was ahead, she joined our Congregation on May 21, 1991.

Life in the Congregation
With many sentiments of joy, she began her life. She felt very much at home from the first day of her life in our Congregation. During the first year, her brother wanted to come and take her back. Since she knew he was coming to take her back, she forbade him to come and see her.

Her religious formation period of one year postulancy and two years of noviciate shaped her and changed her a lot. Many times, doubts regarding the choice of vocation for her life disturbed her. Having a lot of interiorisation regarding the life ahead, with trust in the providence of God Sister took her first vows on December 9, 1997. After having four years of temporary vowed life, she made her final profession on January 25, 2003.

Study and Apostolate

  • 1998 July –2001 May: Study for B.com (Bachelor of Commerce) at St. Vincent Pallotti College, Raipur, and service as the accountant of St. Francis Nivas, Raipur
  • 2001 July – 2002 April: Juniorate course in Bhopal
  • 2002 May –2003 January: Assistant to the Regional Treasurer
  • 2003 February –2006 January: Regional Secretary
  • 2006 July – till date: St. Francis School, Pithora - Accountant and Computer teacher

During the years 2003- 2009, she completed her Post Graduation Diploma Course and Master Degree in Computer Application as a private/correspondence student.

Words of Sr. M. Renita
 When I turn back the pages of my life, I see the precious hand of God holding me in the ups and downs of my life. I have both enriching and struggle-facing experiences, which are shaping me constantly in different ways. Recently, I had a chance to be a participant of International Formation Experience of our Congregation. I am grateful to God for giving me a chance to belong to this rich heritage Congregation of ours.

To make love for God visible through love for my sisters, is the priority of my life, and I try to actualize it in my life with the motto of 'Be happy and make others happy'. May God, who has called me, help me to be an inspiration for others

Back to the overview