“My experience of life is as the proverb says, ‘Life is a Pendulum between tears and cheers” says, Sr. Xaverina. She continues “My tears are the little pinpricks, sickness and ailments. My cheers are the God experience, small and great, awareness of the love of God, His power and His providence”.
Sr. Xaverina hails from the well-known catholic family of KavalamPuthanpura, Changanasserry. She was born on 26th January 1927 as the second child among the eight to a God fearing parents Mr. Paul Varghese, an advocate by profession and mother Mrs. Annamma. The traditional catholic atmosphere with devotion and discipline, unity and fellowship, blessed her upbringing. It is in this fertile soil, the seed was sown and nurtured. Her education was begun at St. Joseph’s Girls High School Changanasserry and continued in Holy Cross College,Trichy. She rendered her service as a teacher in Holy Cross School at Trichy from 1958-1959. This has paved the way for her providential entry in to the family of Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod.
Sr. Rita Thyveettil and the sisters of the community at Cantonment were instrumental in assisting her, in discerning her vocation to religious life. She was drawn by the edification and affability of our sisters and chose to be a sister of the Cross.
Sr. Xaverina made her first profession on 21st December 1957 and perpetual profession on 4th January 1963. Her purpose of choosing the religious life was to live a dedicated life, to make the loving and living God known to others.
Her motto in teaching was ‘the village has come to the school, let us do the maximum’. She taught in Munnar from 1959- 1962 and in St. Paul’s GHS Vettimukal from1962 -1966. Then she returned to Munnar and continued her teaching till 1974. She completed her Theology course from 1974 – 76 in Goa and was back to Munnar where she taught, up to her retirement in the year 1982. Then she was transferred to Thellakom again, rendered her service as a teacher in Holy Cross Higher Secondary School from 1982-87. She was engaged in the ministry of evangelization at Maruthencode, a village in the Kanyakumari district of Tamilnadu from 1987-1989. The rest of her life, she spent in the Community at Vettimukal in prayer and helping in the House.
Sr. Xaverina was gentle, prayerful, amiable, loving and optimistic. A teacher by profession, sister accomplished her work to the best of her ability.
Wisdom of Solomon was part and parcel of her life. Infact she was a walking encyclopedia. She used to spend long hours, praying before the Blessed Sacrament, interceding for the needs of the Congregation and its mission.
The evening of Sr. Xaverina’s life was remarkably valuable in the sight of God and people. She was never found wanting to be in the lime light of the society but she worked behind the screen. The students and staff of our schools, the parishioners, the neighbors and our sisters approached her for intercessory prayers. She used to read the scripture and other books and enlighten the community members. Sister was healthy and able to perform the activities of daily, living until last year. For the past one year, though her health was weakened, she participated in all the community activities. Even at the age of 93, the clarity of her thinking, her memory and her apt response to everyone and everything is worth mentioning.
On the 4th of May 2020, she was admitted in Caritas hospital and was diagnosedwith an advanced ovarian cancer. Gradually the condition of her health was deteriorating. Yesterday, 21st June 2020 at 4 am, she breathed her last in the presence of the Sisters of the community, praying for her.
Dear Sr. Xaverina, punctuality and regularity in your prayer life was exemplary to us even though you are the senior most in Angamaly. You listened to everyone who came to pour out their innermost feelings and they found comfort and consolation. You were very confidential and a trustworthy person. You were soft-spoken, never haughty in your dealings but endured everything in serenity. Lady poverty was your constant comrade. The memory of you will remain ever green in our hearts, written in golden letters. We read in your dairy “My life is a gift from the Lord; my vocation is a gift from the Lord; eternal life is a gift from the Lord. So every day I will sing thy praises”. Dear sister, we are sure that now you are with your beloved, enjoying the gift of eternal life. Intercede for all of us.
Adieu dear sister till we meet in heaven.
Sisters of Vettimukal community
Province of Angamaly
22.06.2020
