A history of Bethany congregation Mangalore and its contribution to the field of education and social change in Karnataka

Abstract

The History of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, Mangalore, founded by Msgr. Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhasin the year 1921, is an account of the dedicated and committed service of the Bethany Sisters to the humanity at large and particularly in Karnataka, in the field of education and social work. He considered literacy as the gate way to peoples development, because the milieu of the society of his time was such, that there was illiteracy, ignorance, poverty and social discrimination especially for the women, in the traditionally male dominated society. Actually it was a period of clouded mystery which needed transformation in the society, in the midst of foreign ideologies, as some foreign missionaries were trying to lit a lamp of literacy to the elite classes only, in the region under study. The native succor, Msgr. Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas proved as the best solution for this native problem. He actualized his new vision of education, through literacy of industrial and agricultural dimensions. Since the subject matter of the study is totally interlocked, the results of the findings have been recorded, to see the impact of the activities of the Bethany Organization at a glance. The entire data so collected has been brought under an inter- disciplinary study. As per the specialty of Msgr. Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas, to do the uncommon things for the good of the common and oppressed masses, through the formal and non-formal education, medical and social activities, he has tried to liberate the poor, uplift the marginalized and empower the women of the remotest villages of Karnataka. Thus we see the Bethany Organization has contributed to the society with an aim of bringing the social change through the motto of service , respecting their diversity and helping them to be self confident .The empowered people are in turn have become the agents of empowering others in transforming the society.