Sr. Claudian’s Voice falls to Silence
(Fr.Thomas D’Silva)
Mangalore, Feb 18: Quietly she would enter into silence in the Presence of the Lord and meditate for hours in the chapel, silently doing the daily chores in the kitchen, the vegetable and the fruit gardens... while alive there was not much air or noise about her and when she left us...well, no one but the ‘One Who Called’ her knew about it! Rev. Sr. Claudian A.C at the age of 81, after nearly three months of prolonged illness was relieved of her sufferings forever today at 3.30 PM at Stella Maris Convent, Kotekar near here.
Born to Santanna and Mathais D’Silva on June 4, 1930 in a remote village called Naravi at the foothills of Western Ghats, Sr. Claudian was christened as Therese. No one ever imagined that one day she would be treading the ‘Little Way’ to holiness exemplified by St. Theresa of Lisieux herself! At the age of 15 she left home to join the Society of Apostlic Carmel (A.C) and in 1959 she made her first vows.
The devout parents, her nine other siblings and in particular Lt. Rev.Fr. Aveline D’Silva, her brother who was a missionary in Allahabad in the north India, sowed the seeds of Christian faith in little Therese. Fr. Aveline remained her spiritual guide until his death in May 2008. ‘Taking up her daily cross’ she had made final vows in 1965. In her 52 years of religious life she rendered her services at various convents of Apostolic Carmel like: Patna, Kolkata and in the Diocese of Mangalore at St. Anne's, Kotekar, Udupi, Kallianpur, Nanjangud, Marjill, Bendore and Kundapur. Her last six years were spent at Stella Maris Convent, Kotekar where she breathed her last leaving behind Ms. Christine and Celine her sisters. Sr. Linette A.C, the provincial thus paid her last tribute, "Simplicity, openness, childlike spirit and leading a quiet, hidden life were the hallmarks of our dear sister". That was the echo from nuns and others who were her sojourners in life!
Her last days were not eventful but memorable because the way she endured her physical pain ‘offering everything for the salvation of sinners’. Her ‘way to the Golgotha’ began in the wee hours of Dec 2, 2010 when she fell down from the bed and fractured her hip bone. She was rushed to Fr. Muller’s Medical College Hospital, Mangalore and was in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) for over 15 days. Her weak heart was a cause of concern. But what confined her to the bed was her fractured hip bone. Next two and a half months were spent in the bed, her legs fastened to the derotation plaster, not even allowed to toss or turn. The prayers, the meals and the easing had to be done in the bed in one posture! There was neither a groan nor a grumble, neither a cry nor a complaint from the lips which were used to utter prayers and blessings. And angelic innocent smile was her greeting to all who paid last visits to her! Sr. Maria Alexina and Ms. Rathna, her nurses vouch for her forbearance.
‘God alone sufficeth’ was Sr. Claudian’s motto. She lived it to the full. There was no falsehood in her except the false teeth she used; there was no noise about her except of the sandals she would drag and walk! Through simple and humble ‘little ways’ she has left behind indelible marks for others to emulate. She was the inspiration to her nephews Frs Walter and Thomas D’Silva and nieces Srs Lilly and Vinutha Gonsalves, who ascribe their vocation to their aunt's exemplary religious life.
As Sr. Claudian has left behind her earthly clothing in the grave, our hope is in the Christian belief that she will rise with a transformed body and be received into heavenly reward. May the Lord, who was everything to her, grant her soul the eternal rest. May she Rest in Peace.
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