Salvatorian Sisters India

FIRST MISSION STATION

SHILLONG 1891- 1915

The first missionaries Sr. Laurentia Heilmeier, 23 years old, Sr. Benedicta Ruderich (24), and Sr Scholastica Hopfenmuller travelled from Rome to Assam on December 12, 1890 and they reached safely on January 12, 1891 and settled down in the hilly area known as Shillong. It was the first community of the Salvatorian Sisters as well as a main station for their further establishment. This community served mainly the orphans, involved in pastoral activities and also teaching grownups and children in various schools. This community existed until 1915 when the sisters were asked to withdraw their mission in India and return to their homeland due to the outbreak of the First World War.

Sr. Laurentia Heilmeier

Sr. Laurentia Heilmeier was appointed as the first superior of the community. Since she was always ill Sr. Scholastica was appointed as the superior of the community in autumn 1892. Sr Laurentia was involved in the teaching ministry. Even the King of Laitumkhrah was inspired by her teaching; he used to take readings and writings of the lessons and had a great liking towards our holy religion. Sr Laurentia in her leisure time served the sick and this continued until she left for Europe in November 1905.

Sr. Scholostica Hopfenmuller

Sr. Scholostica Hopfenmuller was appointed as the superior of the community in 1892 took effort in learning Khasi, the language of Meghalaya. She involved herself in the mission through prayer, work and suffering. She was known as the ‘soul of the enterprise’. On January 24, 1892 Srs. Ursula Meier and Ignatia Greiner and Xaveria Fostera arrived from Rome to join as the members of the Shillong community. In 1893 they welcomed the first orphans in the orphanage at Shillong. Srs Scholastica and Ignatia staying in Shillong took initiative to reach out to the people by extending their mission areas to Shella in 1895. They also prepared the way for the sisters who were to arrive from Rome early 1896. An earthquake took place in 1897 in Shillong. By then the orphanage had 40 orphans. Fortunately, other than the sisters, none of the other inmates were injured when the house in Shillong collapsed. They had to live in the unroofed rooms for five months. Sr Scholastica continued working in the orphanage at Shillong until she was elected as the delegate for the first General Chapter in the year 1905. On March 28, 1906 Sr Scholastica returned from Rome and was asked to work in Raliang with Sr Eustachia Bauer in the community that was started on March 19, 1897. She served in Raliang and promoted many vocations until January1908. Later she had to move to Shillong as she was appointed as the superior and in 1912 she was officially appointed to take over the duties of the commissary. Due to the outbreak of the First World War, she along with other sisters had to leave Shillong for Europe on November 15, 1915.

Sr. Benedicta Ruderich

Sr. Benedicta Ruderich was one of the three sisters who stepped into Shillong as missionaries in the year 1891. She involved herself in teaching ministry and also cared for the sick. She made an effort to brush up her English and learn the Khasi language. She was in charge of the orphanage, which was begun in 1893 and she worked with full pledge up to 1899 until she was confined to bed for nine months due to the effects of the earthquake. The death of Sr. Benedicta was a great loss for the orphanage. She was known by the name ‘the orphan’s mother’. She loved them and devoted all her time and energy for them. In July 1900 at 12:00 p.m. She bids farewell to her heavenly home surrounded by the little crowd of children.

Sr. Ursula Meier

Sr. Ursula Meier arrived Shillong on January 24, 1892 began to teach in school. Later on as she was experienced in nursing and education, her presence gave a great relief to the sisters who were injured during the earthquake. She specially treated Sr Xaveria from Shillong community and Sr Hildegardis from Raliang community that was opened on March 19, 1897 just three months before the earthquake. Sr Ursula cared for the sisters who were shifted to Shillong. In December 1906, she was bitten by a rabid dog and with the help of the British an authority was treated in the medical center at Kausali in the Himalayas. She was accompanied by Sr Kunigilde Meyer and returned in January 1907 to Shillong as she realized that she didn’t develop rabies. She remained there until the outbreak of the First World War and returned to Rome at the age of 62. During her time in Shillong she was assigned to care for the orphans and involved in various tasks connected to it. She also had a good knowledge of gardening and field work and was able to train local people in these skills.

Sr. Xaveria Forstera

Sr. Xaveria Forstera arrived along with Srs Ursula and Ignatia began her work in the mission, teaching children and adults in schools or houses. She also taught in Mawkhar and Laitkor, the places around Shillong. She also involved the children for the convent and church celebrations. When the earthquake took place in June 1897, she was buried in the ruins of the convent at Shillong and sustained serious injury in her lungs, which later developed into Tuberculosis and thus she was confined to bed. She died in Shillong at the age of 31 on August 21, 1900.

Sr. Ignatia Greiner

Sr. Ignatia Greiner was assigned to Shillong in the first years after her arrival on January 24, 1892. In the year 1895, she along with Sr Scholastica made the house ready for the incoming sisters at the new mission in Shella in 1896. On March 17, 1897 Sr Ignatia along with Srs Hildegardis Dombrowski and Brigitta Schneider, members of Shella community, who were transferred to Raliang, began the 50-mile journey to the new mission. On March 19, 1897they arrived at Raliang and Sr Ignatia was appointed as the superior of the community. In June 1897 when the disastrous earthquake hit she had to carry much work and responsibility as injuries took a toll on the community. During her stay in Raliang, she was involved in chapel work, kitchen, catechism, sewing, mending and knitting. She was more fluent in Synteng language than the Khasi language. On March 29, 1906 she left Raliang and was appointed as the superior of Shillong and also as the commissary of Assam and involved herself in business and day to day affairs of the sisters. In March 1908, she was a delegate for the Second General Chapter and on her return from Rome, She was appointed as the superior of Raliang community. On January 17, 1909 as she reached Raliang she continued the same assignment that she was involved earlier until she was forced to leave Assam with the other sisters in 1915 due to the outbreak of the First World War.

Sr. Antonia Kreppelt

Sr. Antonia Kreppelt reached Shillong community in 1908. On January 14, 1909 she was appointed as the commissary of Assam and the superior of the local community. Sr Antonia’s good intentions were over- shadowed by her domineering and independent way of acting, and she was the cause of dissatisfaction among the sisters, priests and local people. She resigned as the superior of the community in Shillong, though not as commissary and left Shillong on January 08, 1910 intending to prepare for a new foundation at Dibrugarbh and this didn’t work out. Finally, she returned to Shillong. Due to a disagreement with the Apostolic Prefect she left Assam and went to Rome in 1912.

Sr. Gebharda Dietmann

Sr. Gebharda Dietmann arrived Shillong on January 14, 1909 at the mission in Shillong, she was a nurse by profession. She worked quietly and efficiently in the apostolate of nursing until she had to leave in 1915.

Sr. Innocenza Stahl

Sr. Innocenza Stahl went to Assam mission in 1912 but due to the outbreak of the First World War her stay was not a long one. She arrived in Shillong on February 10,1912 there she shared the celebration for the opening of the new school in Shillong in 1913 and taught there for a further two years until she had to leave Assam along with other sisters in 1915.

Sr. Theobalda Schroder & Sr. Bertilla Fotschki

Sr. Theobalda & Sr. Bertilla were the last two sisters to reach the mission in Assam on February 21, 1914. They were assigned to the mission in Shillong before the Salvatorians had to leave in November 15, 1915.