A Short Biography of Sr.

Reshma

I am Sr.Reshma (Bindu Thomas)

Life at Home:

I am the third child of my parents Mr. Thomas Sebastian and Mary kutty Thomas. Our surname is
Chenaparambil.

I was born on November 18, 1981. I was born in a Catholic family at Pachani in Kannur District of
Kerala State. I belong to the Parish of St. Mary’s Church of the Diocese of Thalassery of the
Syromalabar Church.

I have three other siblings more in my family. I have two elder brothers and a younger sister. They
are all happy and blessed with their family lives. Thus, I have three nephews and three nieces.

Following the tradition of the Syromalabar Church, I was baptized on December 23 rd. I had my First
Holy Communion when I was 9 years old. The nuns in our parish had prepared us sufficiently well to
receive Lord Jesus first time in the Holy Communion. This was a great experience and I still cherish
those memories of my First Holy Communion.

My father was a farmer. Besides taking proper care of our family he also used to be very active in the
various pastoral and religious activities of our parish. He was a catechism teacher in our parish for 33
years.

Besides teaching catechism to the young children my father was also very actively involved in the
Vincent De Paul charitable activities and other social works of the parish. As an organized group the
Vincent De Paul members used to help the poor children in the parish for their education, give
financial support and provisions to the widows and poor people of the area besides helping them for
cloths and medicines. All his services in the parish were done voluntarily and without taking any
remuneration.

Being a very traditional Catholic family, we used to have daily rosary and other prayers in our family
every day. My parents were very devout and encouraged us also to have special devotion to the holy
Rosary and our Blessed Mother.
We used to have special prayers and novenas to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Saint Joseph and to
Our Blessed Mother every year. My parents used to go for daily mass. As our house was very close to
the parish Church our parents used to encourage us also for the daily participation at the Holy
Mass.During my school days, I was a calm and quite student. I used to help my mother at home
other times.

Now, as I look back into my life, I realize that my father has played a great role in my life. His life and
ideals have influenced me a lot. I always consider him as a great icon of service and charity. Though
he had a lot of works to do at home in our fields as we were farmers, my father would always find
enough time to actively participate in the various social and religious activities of the parish. It was
this service mindedness of my father and his eagerness to help the poor and needy that inspired me
to become a religious. Perhaps this was the way I was experiencing God’s call.

Unfortunately, my father had a sudden demise due to a massive heart attack on August 08, 2019. I
miss him very much in my life.

After the completion of my SSLC, I expressed my desire to become a religious nun. With the
permission of my parents, in 1998 I joined the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Graces in Meerut
(FSLG), Uttar Pradesh along with another companion of mine in the school.

Life in the FSLG:

From 1998 to 2000 I had the basic formation training and I finished the aspirancy and postulancy. I
really enjoyed my new life in the religious community with all my companions from different parts of
India.

After the completion on basic formation, I had two years of intense novitiate from 2000 to 2002. On
May 30, 2002 I had my first profession .

Soon after my first profession, I was appointed in our Community at Sardhana with the responsibility
of taking care of the house management and Doing my intermediate studies. As usual following the
policy of the Congregation, after one of year service in the community, I was sent for the Nursery
Teachers Training Course in Indore. I lived in the community of the Holy Cross Sisters and enjoyed
my life and studies there. During this time, I had also the opportunity to experience some pastoral
ministry among the street children and orphans. I myself got actively involved in this ministry along
with another Sister, of course, not neglecting in any way my studies. This was one of the ministries
that I enjoyed most in my religious life.
In 2004 , after my studies I was entrusted with the responsibility of organizing our nursery school at
our St. Mary’s Convent in Aluva, Kerala. I had a good time with the kids and I enjoyed my ministry in
the nursery school.

Later, in view of preparing myself for the final profession, I was sent to the Missionary Sisters of
Ajmer in Mumbai for my one-year Theology course. It was a very good and enriching experience
with many sisters from various congregations in India. After the completion of the Theology course
in 2007, I had my final profession in FSLG in 2007.

After my final profession, my name was proposed to be sent to our mission in Italy. And so, soon
after my final profession I was sent to Italy. Not knowing the language and in a new culture, it was a
bit difficult for me to adjust. However, soon I began to learn the Italian language and dedicate myself
to my new responsibilities there. Besides, the retirement home of the elderly people, I was also
asked to teach in the nursery school to the small kinds.

After the completion of eight years in Italy, I expressed my desire to my Mother General, to come
back to India and to do my ministry among the street children or among the mentally and physically
affected children. Thank God I was permitted to come back to India. As per my interests, I was
nominated to do special B. Ed to work among the differently enabled children.

However, sadly, I had to wait for another sister to come to Italy to take up my responsibilities.
Unfortunately, therefore, by the time I came back from Italy after handing over all my
responsibilities there, the admissions for the special B.Ed course was closed for that year.Then As
there were some issues in our community at Khammam, where we have the Jyothi Nivas School for
the Blind and Deaf, of the diocese, I was asked to go there for three months to substitute another
sister. As the local Bishop was extremely happy with my way of doing things in the community, I was
asked by the Bishop and the Mother General to continue as the administrator of the community for
one year, which went on extended year after year, up to four years.

Every now and then, I used to remind my superiors about my earnest desire to work among the
orphans or the mentally and physically challenged children. However, my desire was not fulfilled.
After 4 years of services in the Jyothi Nivas School for the Blind and Deaf, and my repeated requests
for permitting me to work among the destitute or mentally and physically challenged, I was a bit
disappointed and discouraged.

I used to spend a lot of time in prayer and reflection about taking this major decision. I consulted my
spiritual guide on this matter. Thus, it was after mature reflection, a lot of personal prayers and
consulting my spiritual guide that I took this decision to look for alternative ways of fulfilling my
desires and aspirations. I did not want to be an unhappy religious. Therefore, I decided to look for
other options in line with my interest.

My present Life:
As I had decided to discontinue my religious life in the FSLG, I began searching for a place where I
could do a ministry in accordance with my liking and interests. Some of my friends told me about
the Nava Jeevan Secular Institute in Chennai.

On a probation basis I joined them in June 2019. I am really very grateful to the Founder, the
Moderator General and all its members who were very helpful to me and supported me in my
spiritual life especially in the process of my discernment. I wanted to dedicate myself for the direct
service of the poor, needy and the destitute.

Now I am happy that I am able to dedicate myself for the service of the same through the newly
established religious institute of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Holy Eucharist. I am very grateful
to its Founders and Superiors for giving me an opportunity to join them to continue my religious life.

Whenever I get free time, I enjoy reading books, artworks and handicrafts. They are my hobbies at
my leisure time. I am able to handle the languages of English, Italian, Hindi, and Malayalam. I can
understand also the languages of Tamil and Telugu. I am now trying to learn German.

Thank you…...

Sr. Reshma Thomas.