Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis

Sr. M. Stella Madathil


“I have called you by name, for I have a special plan and purpose for you”. I thank the Almighty for selecting me to be His own and trusting me, knowing all my littleness. I am grateful to Him for creating in me a special zeal and love to become a Franciscan from my childhood onwards. Today what I am is a gift of God to me and all that I do is a gift to my creator.

I am Marykutty Mathew; my religious name is Sister M. Stella. I was born on May 11, 1962 in Kerala, the southern part of India. I am the second daughter of Mr. Mathew and Annamma. I have two younger brothers and five sisters.  One of my younger sisters is in the Congregation of Sisters of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. She is now in Jegadalpur, Chhattisgarh. All other siblings are living in Kerala. I belong to a religious minded and pious family which has many priests and religious. My father is a farmer and mother is house wife.

My vocation

My parents and the teachers have paid a vital role in my vocation.  After completing my higher secondary school, on May 18, 1982, I arrived in Pithora without knowing anything about the place or the congregation. I only knew that it is a Franciscan congregation, and this I learned from a Salesian Sister, who was staying in Raipur at that time.

God’s ways are mysterious beyond human understanding. He planted me in a Franciscan family, for which I was longing. All my formation was in Pithora under the guidance of Sr. M. Hedwig and Sr. M. Gerburg.  I am grateful to them for their selfless love. On January 21, 1994, God, out of His goodness, made me completely His own.

Apostolate

In 1995, I completed my study on community health and midwifery in Patna and started to work as a nurse in our dispensaries. In 2007, I completed a course in X-Ray and ECG in Delhi.  At present, I am working in Pithora Health Center. In various local communities, I have served as “Sister in charge” of the convent.

Conclusion

I thank God for all His kindness to me in every phase of my life, the blessings which enable me go in life, and the opportunities which He gives me to know, love and serve Him and His people. May all who have touched my life be blessed in abundance.