Two Convents Attacked in India; Church Personnel Concerned
Bihar, India, Nov.07,2007 (CINS/SAR) --Two convents were attacked in separate incidents on November 03, in north and central Bihar. Around 6 p.m. November 3, two men armed with guns and other weapons, attacked Sister Rose Plathottam, director of Chetanalaya (House of Animation), a Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (SCN)-run hostel-cum-school for physically challenged girls, at Rajgir, a tourist township in Nalanda district, central Bihar. The duo apparently came for extortion money but since they could not get it, they snatched a cell phone after hitting Sister Rose on the head with the butt of a gun. Sister Rose is the only SCN nun resident there, temporarily assisted by two novices. A bleeding Sister Rose was taken to a local hospital by the policemen who came to the spot nearly 45 minutes after the incident. Later, she was taken to Patna’s Holy Family Hospital for medical treatment. The injury apparently is not serious. She has three stitches on the head, SCN Provincial Superior at Patna, Sister Sangita Aithamattam, told SAR News, November 04. Though a First Information Report on a robbery case was lodged November 4, the thieves are at large till now, she said. Chetanalaya serves some 20 villages in the region where some 20 self-help groups empowering women are active. In the second incident, a convent of the Sisters of Sacred Heart (SSH), located at Malighat on the outskirts of Muzaffarpur town, Bihar’s commercial capital, was attacked by a gang of 4-5 armed robbers at 1a.m. November 03. The masked men tried to enter the convent by cutting open the lock of a grill gate on the verandah, but failed to break the second gate into the convent, said Sister Aruna, Superior of the Sacred Heart Convent there. “Presently, we run a school for girls for class 1-10 there, but closed down a dispensary for want of religious personnel,” said SSH Provincial Superior Sister Surabhi. “We intend to open an AIDS care center shortly,” Sister Surabhi told SAR News. “The gang did not loot any valuables nor seek money from the sisters. However, they threatened us saying ‘we will show you’,” Sister Aruna said. “This is worrying us: that the women religious persons are not safe here, although we are running a service institution for the people here,” Sister Surabhi said. “The constant attack on our convents, persons, looting of valuables and extortion are a matter of serious concern for us,” Sister Sangita said. “On the other hand, I am touched by the timely help and valuable support being given to us by the Church personnel,” she added. This is the third time antisocial elements are attacking the convent at Rajgir. A concerned Vicar General of Patna Archdiocese, Father Devasia Mattathilany, said, “Of course, antisocials may not see our work as service. On the other hand, perhaps, we have not been able to convince the people that we are at their service, and it is their duty to protect us.” “The malady is much deeper,” said State Assembly Speaker, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, who came on a personal visit to the injured Sister Rose at Holy Family Hospital, November 04. The local goons want quick money, and they wanted it from institutions such as yours. Perhaps they did not intend to attack the persons. But since money was not coming by, they attacked the persons. It is not an issue of law and order problem, he told the Sisters. While the state administration will do everything for your safety, you have to be more alert on what is happening in the wider society, around you, he added.Today in Church History
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