Hundreds mourn death of nun who lived for poor

Sr. Karuna Maniyattu was buried in the provincial house cemetery in Jharsuguda, Odisha.

By Jessy Joseph
Jharsuguda (Odisha):  Around 1,000 people gathered in Jharsuguda, Odisha, to pay tributes to Holy Spirit Sister Karuna Maniyattu, who died in Mumbai after a brief illness.

The body of the nun, who coordinated Conference of Religious India's (CRI) social work activities, was brought to Jharsuguda, her provincial house on Saturday.

She was buried in the provincial house cemetery today.

Sr. Maniyattu, 52, died of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection on August 22 in a Mumbai hospital. She had gone to the city to attend a meeting. EBV is the cause of infectious mononucleosis (also termed as “mono”) an illness associated with fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and sometimes enlarged spleen.

Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur led the funeral Mass.

Bishop Lucas Karrakatta of Sambalpur, Bishops-elect Niranjan Sual Singh of Sambalpur, Kishore Kumar Kujur of Rourkela were among some 50 priests who joined the Mass.

Some 30 members of Sr. Maniyattu’s family, including her mother, three brothers, five sisters and nephews and nieces also were present at the funeral.

“Although we feel her physical absence, we rejoice with her for the beautiful life she lived. She had been a true, loyal, loving sister and a friend to many,” Sister Regina George, SSps, the provincial superior, said in her introductory note.

“Sister Karuna’s parting has brought a big vacuum in our province and congregation, even in the Church in India,” she added.

Sister Karuna was born on November 12, 1961 and joined the congregation in 1979.

After the initial formation and novitiate in Bangalore, she made her first profession on May 31, 1985. She made her final commitment Jan. 1, 1992.

“Sister Karuna had outstanding leadership and qualities which placed her in various positions and services in the province,” said sister Regina.

She served as Community leader in Vidhyadham, Rourkela from 1998 -2004 and in Bhubaneswar from 2007 – 2010. She was the national coordinator of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation for the Sssps, India. She was in the administration of the province for three times from 2001– 2010 as a member of council.

Since 2010, she served the Conference of Religious of India and was the first Executive Director of CRISEC- Socio Economic Concerns of the CRI, since its inception in 2010.

Archbishop Viruthakulangara while in his homily said, “we should not be so sorry about the death of Sr. Karuna because she lived by deeds not by years.”

She worked for the poorest of the poor in the slums of Rourkela for ten years. Some 200 people from the slum were present for the funeral.

Urmila Tandi, an animator, said Sr. Karuna was always compassionate toward the disadvantaged and the downtrodden.

“We will remember her always for her tenderness, loving service and courage. We will continue the mission she started,” Tandi said. Her name signifies her qualities as Karuna means compassionate and love, she added.

In his condolence message during the Mass, Br. Mani Mekkunnel, former CRI secretary, said usually eyes cry with emotion but there are moments when heart cries with pain and this is such a moment.

“During the last three years of her national mission, we have been journeying together into major dream for the religious of India. As the founding leader of the ‘Jesus Model of Social Ministry’ in the country, she has left the dream to her successors like many leaders,” Br. Mekkunnel said during the funeral service, which lasted for three hours.

Fr. Joe Mannath, national secretary of CRI, said the nun’s warmth and hospitality made a deep impression in many people.

“She was a real missionary of Jesus and a happy religious. Her smile radiated joy and peace to all those came across her lives,” he said.