CASA GENERALIZIA Name of the community

CASA GENERALIZIA
DELLE FIGLIE DELLA CARITÀ CANOSSIANE
 Name of the community
 Place and complete address
 Opening Date
Canossa Convent
62, Cantonment,
BAREILLY – U.P. 243001
July 1951
For the education of youth and service
to the poor
This was an exchange gift to us from the Bishop of
Lucknow, Conrad de Vito O.F.M Cap, as he desired
the house of Barabanki for the new Congregation
founded by him.
In 1947 Fr. Conrad de Vito was appointed Bishop of
Lucknow. The greatest disappointment of Bishop
Conrad was news from Rome, dated March 1948,
declaring the inability to send Sisters to Barabanki.
Eight months passed and finally M. Delegate General
communicated the happy news, after two previous
refusals, that at last Rome had consented and the
Canossian Sisters would take up the new mission. On
17th December 1948 the Sisters started their work.
The pioneers of this mission were M. Lucia Castelli
(Superior substituted by M. Maria Novati), M.
Remediana Mendonca, M. Adele Moretti and Sr.
Teresa Formolo.
About this time Bishop Conrad of Lucknow was
planning to start a lay Congregation called “Maids of
the Poor” for his diocese. He was given a bungalow
in Bareilly, U.P., but as Bareilly was not so easily
accessible from Lucknow as was Barabanki, he asked
our Sisters the favour of moving to Bareilly from
Barabanki.
On 18th March 1951, M. Asst. Delegate, M. Rose
Bravi, and M. Maria Pia Comelli, Superior of
Barabanki, went to Bareilly to study the prospects of
the new foundation. On the 9th July 1951, M. Rita
Aggio, M. Teresa Cattaneo and Sr. Mildred D’Souza
left Barabanki definitely for Bareilly.
Needless to say, it did cost our Sisters to move out
and when the permission came from Rome, this is
how it was worded: 25.5.1951 … Cosi dice pure che
permette, sebbene con rincrescimento, il trasloco
della comunità di Barabanki a Bareilly. Si scrisse
subito a sua Eccellenenza dandogli notizia”. On the
other hand M.Delegate, M.Josephine Sala, wrote
elsewhere: “We consider it a happy exchange, a rare
favour indeed, and we also hope a rare occurrence,
please God”.
On 12th of July , M. Pia accepted the management of
CASA GENERALIZIA
DELLE FIGLIE DELLA CARITÀ CANOSSIANE
 Other interesting news
the school and took charge as the headmistress. 15th
July was fixed for the official inauguration, at 4 p.m.
The Sisters (M. Josephine Sala was also present)
were introduced to the people and Bishop Conrad de
Vito outlined the life of Magdalene of Canossa and
explained the Canossian spirit. Then the picture of St.
Maria Goretti was unveiled and St. Maria Goretti was
proposed as a model for imitation and admiration.
The name of the school was changed from St.
Anthony’s Primary School to St. Maria Goretti School.
Bareilly is one of the very important towns in the
Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. Once the city was the
capital of Rohilkhand division. Bareilly is also
sometimes known as Bans-Bareilly because of the
flourishing bamboo trade in the city. The city,
situated on the banks of Ram Ganga, has a rich
heritage and a long history to boast about. The city is
mentioned in Epic Mahabharata as the capital of the
'Panchal' rulers. The city has long been a centre for
various minor and major movements. In this city the
famous Sufi-Barelvi sect of Islam was born. A certain
Ahmed Raza Khan who lived there started the
movement that takes its name from the city itself.

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