Salvatorian Sisters India

SECOND MISSION STATION
SHELLA JANUARY 29, 1896 – MOVED TO LAITKYNSEW JUNE 1897-1908

The second community of the Assam mission was extended to Shella. On January 29, 1896 the community was active and by June 1897 disastrous earthquake destroyed the shelter of the community and its surrounding. They moved to a nearby place named Laitkynsew and stayed in a small hut. By July 1897 they were able to move into a new house in Laitkynsew itself. From then on, as they lived the poverty and as the ill health of the sisters didn’t suit them in fulfilling their mission, they were forced to close down their service in the mission area and move to Shillong with all the sisters and orphans.

Sr. Bernarda Reichel

She travelled to Assam on January 01, 1896. She was appointed as the first superior of the community in Shella on January 29, 1896. She worked with the orphans and taught catechism, but this wasn’t as successful as in Shillong. On her way to Assam, she fell sick and hoped she would recover; but her condition deteriorated, as she was taken to a doctor and was diagnosed with galloping consumption and it was already beyond help. She died in Shillong at the age of 24 on August 20; 1896. She was the very first member to die in Assam.

Sr. Gabriela Bohnheim

Sr. Gabriela arrived in Assam from Rome on January 29, 1896. She began her ministry by teaching orphans and showing special concern to women by visiting them and teaching them at their homes. In June 1897 they had to face an earthquake that destroyed the whole of Shella where many orphans were killed. As they experienced great distress, they moved to Laitkynsew and stayed in a hut with meager facilities. Sr Gabriela worked in the kitchen, taught religion in the village, and instructed the orphans and children in the school. In 1907 Sr Gabriela went to Rome to undergo treatment and it continued for a year and she returned to Assam in 1909.The communities of Shella and Raliang joined Shillong for their annual retreat every summer. This continued in 1910 and 1911. Sr Gabriela attended the retreat and stayed back due to health issues. Finally, in September 1912 she was appointed as the superior of Shillong and continued her mission until she left Assam in 1915 due to the outbreak of the First World War.

Sr. Hildegardis Dombrowski

Sr. Hildegardis arrived in Shella on January 29, 1896. On March 17, 1897 she began a journey with Sr Ignatia for the new mission. They arrived in Raliang on March 19, 1897 and served the orphans and taught catechism to those in that village. In June 1897, as they were affected by the earthquake, they moved to a safer place. Meanwhile, Sr Hildegardis had a fall and broke her foot. She was carried to Shillong for her treatment since there were no doctors in Raliang. The injury caused her much trouble in 1901 and she was asked to fit an iron brace, but this didn’t solve her issue and later in 1904 her foot was amputated and it was replaced with a wooden artificial foot and it took a year and half of her recovery. Then on, travelling became a discomfort for her. In February 1906, she reached Raliang and gave handwork classes to the orphans and in March she was transferred to Shillong. She coordinated Raliang, Shillong and Laitkynsew for a short while and supervised the workmen at the mission. She cared for the children, gave handwork classes and did the sewing. In 1907 onwards the sisters made their annual retreat in Shillong and after her retreat in 1909 Sr Hildegardis remained in Shillong until she left Assam for Europe in 1912.

Sr. Brigitta Schneider

She arrived in Shella on January 29, 1896. Few days later she went to Shillong until she received the appointment to the new mission in Raliang. Their efforts to lay foundation for the new mission were in vain due to the earthquake. For nearly nine months they had to stay in a hut and suffered from bad conditions. Then on, Sr Brigitta suffered with asthma which continued for the rest of her life. In October 1900, she spent five months in Shillong for her treatment; later in 1904 the asthma became noticeably worse. Due to the health issues of Sr Brigitta and the absence of Sr Hildegardis who was on her treatment in Shillong, Sr Ignatia the superior of the community had to put lots of efforts in the mission area. Unfortunately during the Eucharistic celebration Sr Brigitta suffered from a stroke which left her speechless and paralysed her right side and she was taken to Shillong for the treatment on October 9, 1905. As she experienced slight recovery, she wished to return to Raliang in order to spend the rest of her life and accordingly was taken back along with the sisters from Shillong in January 1906. Meanwhile, Srs Ignatia and Hildegardis from Raliang were transferred to Shillong and Sr Scholastica and Sr. Eustachia Bauer from Shillong were transferred to Raliang. On Passion Sunday April 01, 1906 Sr Brigitta had a second stroke which left her completely paralysed and she was unable to speak until she died at 12:15midday on April 04, 1906.

Sr. Evangelista Hofmann

Sr. Evangelista arrived in Shella on March 03, 1897, three months before the earthquake. As the earthquake struck, she ran out of the kitchen and fell. Unfortunately, her arm was trapped under the rock and it took two hours to free her from it. Luckily the arm wasn’t seriously hurt. The missionaries then went to nearby Laitkynsew for shelter and later in July 1897 were able to move to a new house. On June 02, 1902 she was appointed as the superior of the community, but in the year 1908 the sisters and orphans were moved to Shillong due to poverty and poor health. Then on, the community stopped functioning in this particular area. She continued her mission in Shillong by caring for the orphans and gave handwork classes until 1914, except for a few months, which she spent in Raliang getting involved in sacristy work and caring for the boys in the School. In 1914 she was elected as the delegate for Assam to the Third General Chapter of the Congregation. After that, of course, she was unable to return.