A puny nun during her lifetime, now a saint

By O.J.George

Alphonsa was a puny nun by all known standards during her lifetime. She was unwell all the time. Ordinary mortals would have thought what service could this frail woman do to humanity.

It was only after her death, it seems, the church, the faithful and the religious found the purity and saintliness of this nun. For there was no cardinal, no archbishop or bishop present during her funeral. Father Romulus, the spiritual guide of the nun, declared on the occasion in all prophesy. Once the cardinals, bishops and the faithful would converge on the small hamlet at Bharananganam where her mortal remains were buried.

She was a member of the Franciscan Clarist Convent at Bharananganam. Her life was one of suffering and discharge of duties. She never did any social service by definition. She was suffering, praying and going through the rigid life. She wanted to do service to the Messiah in letter and spirit.

Her mother died when she was only three months old. She was brought up by the elder sister of her mother. The foster mother also died a few years later. She continued her studies and later joined the convent. There also various ailments were debilitating, but she discharged her duties most faithfully. Stories of a lot of miracles are doing the rounds. Many people were cured of their ailments at the intercession of Alphonsa.

Now she is being canonized. Pope Benedict XVI would proclaim the declaration about her sainthood at Vatican during holy qurbana at 9.30 am Vatican time, 12.30 Indian time on Sunday (October 12).

In the reckoning of God, puny figures are mighty beings