Sr. Anastasia

Obituary di Suor Anastasia Odackal -   27^th April 2016   “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,  I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,                                 the righteous judge, will give me.”  (2 Tim.4:7-8) These words of St. Paul became a reality in the life journey of Sr. Anastasia who ran the race of life, with her gaze fixed on God in deep faith and surrender to His Will. She could personally repeat ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’  So the Lord summoned her to His side to receive the much deserved crown of righteousness on Wednesday, 27^th April 2016 at 7:15 a.m. and she flew to her heavenly abode putting an end to a prolonged period of pain and suffering and to enjoy eternal happiness. Sr. Anastasia was born as the 5th^th of   8 children    to Mr. Varkey and Mariam Odackal   on 31^st July 1942 in Ezalloor, Idukki, Kerala.  The little girl was christened as Mary, received the name Anastasia in religious life. After her High School she joined our Congregation at Canannore in 1960.  After the initial formation she made her first profession in 1963, did her studies in Teacher’s training in 1965 and made her final commitment in 1968. Sr.  Anastasia was a person of deep faith and commitment to the mission.   A woman of prayer and dedication, punctual   in everything she followed the Ursuline style of life meticulously. She was very hardworking and responsible. She was a very calm and quiet person with sympathetic and compassionate heart; she had a special concern for the poor and lowly.  Many are the students who have been taught by her in our different institutions and who remember her fondly even today. Sr. Anastasia began her teaching ministry as a trained teacher and later graduate. And taught She rendered her dedicated services in most of our educational institutions in the North and the South. She served the Congregation in various capacities as teacher, vice principal, principal and community animator.  She was a dynamic teacher and endeared herself to her students. She was diagnosed as having Cancer of the Tongue in 2005 while she was in Obra. Then onwards, she was treated by the competent Oncologists, both at Kanpur, Alahabad and Trivandrum. She suffered generously without any complaint, always with a cheerful and smiling face. Even though she could not talk and was in pain, when sisters visited her, she was found jovial and expressed her happiness by writing and communicating even jokes, to make them happy.  She offered her sufferings and pains for her beloved family, congregation, Church and the world.  During the long period of her suffering and pain, she was found very calm and serene.  God found her ripe and fit and called her to His side on 27^th April at 7:15 a.m. as she breathed her last in peace and serenity, immediately after receiving the anointing of the sick. in the presence of many of our sisters and girls, including Sr. Theophane her sister. The funeral service took place on the same day at 4:30 p.m. As we enfold the dear soul of our sister Anastasia in our prayers and implore God to grant her the joys of eternal life, let us pray to her  to intercede for all of us to her beloved Lord,   to bless her family and our beloved Congregation, the Church and the world with his choicest graces and blessings.