Sr M Juliana Castelino
Mangalore is an important city in Karnataka, India. It is situated on the west coast of the Arabian Sea. Christianity from the Portuguese influence in Goa had moved to Mangalore as well. Mangaloreans are considered as God-fearing and highly educated people. The diocese of Mangalore has produced many zealous missionaries for the Church and has provided 41 Bishops and 10 Archbishops and thousands of priests and religious.
In this deeply religious environment, Juliana Castelino was born on 7th June, 1943 to Mr. Albert Castelino and Mrs. Annie Cornelio as the only child of her parents. After completing her studies in Mangalore, Juliana decided to offer her life to serve God as a religious sister. While she was asking God to show her the way, her maternal uncle, Bro. Thomas Cornelio, SSP had come for his home visit. She expressed to him her desire to embrace the religious life. Her uncle was only too happy to explain to her about the Sister Disciples who had arrived at city of Allahabad, capital of Uttar Pradesh, in the Northern region of India, just 5 years ago on 17th February, 1954.
As the scripture says, “Like a merchant in search of fine pearls, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46) Juliana left everything and decided to proceed to Allahabad, along with Bro. Thomas on 27th June 1959. Though it was not easy for her parents to consent to her request, this God-fearing couple desired the best for their daughter. With a heavy heart, but with a spirit of faith, they saw her take a journey towards another phase in her life.
At Allahabad, in the house of the ‘Society of St Paul,’ Juliana was able to easily adapt herself to the situation and the sisters. This was because of her simple, humble, and unassuming nature. She loved the hidden life and never sought any appreciation or recognition from others. She carried out all the work assigned to her with cheerfulness, utmost devotion and care.
After her initial formation at Allahabad, she was sent to Rome, Italy to continue her Novitiate. She proved to be good, generous, and possessing a great spirit of sacrifice. “Choosing Always to be His own,” she made her First Religious Profession on 25th March, 1963 and took a name Sr M. Julianna Castelino. She continued her service in Rome till 1966 in the Liturgical Centre and in the ‘House of the Society of St Paul.’ Her self-offering was followed by three of her cousins joining the same Congregation, one after the other namely – Sr. M. Luce Cornelio, Sr M. Speranza Cornelio, and Sr. M. Stella Cornelio.
On returning to India, Sr M. Juliana continued to grow in her love for the Congregation, she dedicated herself fully to the Liturgical Center as In-charge. Having experienced deeply the love of God, on 25th March, 1968, Sr. Juliana made her Perpetual Profession. Though she was not intellectually gifted, the Lord infused in her the gift of wisdom and practical abilities. She served the Congregation as Superior; Local Councilor; Postulants’ Mistress; Regional Superior and Bursar for two terms. She made it her habit that every night, she would place all her pre-occupations in the Tabernacle. This included her parents, so that the Lord Himself, would take care of them.
Sr M. Juliana was known for her spirit of obedience, faith, and co-operation with her superiors. She had never raised her voice in a gesture of anger to anyone. With her big wide eyes and ever-smiling face, she won the hearts of many. She was a person who could encompass her pain and still continue to be good to everyone around her. Here is one such experience. Quote: “I am glad to share a personal experience that I had with Sr M. Juliana. She was the Superior while I was the Councilor of the community. Once in a meeting, during decision making, we had strong arguments and heated discussions. I walked away angrily. However, after a few moments, I had guests who arrived uninformed from a faraway place. As soon as I informed Sr. Juliana about my guests, she came to greet and interact with them as though nothing had happened between us. I was deeply touched by this gesture and learned a valuable lesson that day.”
Since her parents were aging and unable to manage themselves, Sr. Juliana felt the pain of being their only child. Nevertheless, she faced this challenge nobly by asking help to place them at the home for the aged managed by the Little Sisters of the Poor in Mumbai. After a few years, her father passed away, and the mother and daughter accepted that loss very courageously.
While she was in the community of Chennai, at Santhome, Sr M. Juliana took ill around July 2003. She was brought to St John’s Medical College, Bangalore for a thorough medical check-up. She was diagnosed as suffering from lung cancer. Immediately, she was taken to Mumbai for further treatment at TATA Memorial, a specialized hospital for cancer treatment. But unfortunately, after the first chemotherapy session, she could not continue the treatment because of her fragile health conditions.
When she was sick and in bed she sent the following message to Mother Paola Mancini, her novitiate companion and former Mother General. Quote – “My wholehearted thanks for the message you sent me and for following my last journey more closely with your support of prayer and encouragement. I am conscious of my situation and accept serenely whatever the Lord disposes for me. I always loved my religious vocation and the Congregation. Now I offer my pain for an increase of vocations and for their perseverance.”
“People always called me “the smiling sister” and I desire to be so until the last moment when the Lord will call me to the eternal espousal. I thank the Lord for everything that I enjoyed in my life, I thank you and all the sisters for all the good things I received”. This is a great testimony to the contented life that Sr M. Juliana lived.
Sr M. Juliana’s sickness and death coincided with the preparation and the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Foundation of the Congregation in India which was celebrated on the 10th February, 2004. Though she greatly desired to get well and resume her ministry, God had other plans for her. As one of the first flowers of the Indian Province, she accepted the will of God and offered her sufferings for the intentions and the growth of the Indian Province. Sr M. Juliana breathed her last on 7th February, 2004. Before closing her eyes, she had the joy of meeting Sr. M. Dorotea Bruno and Sr. M Teofana Montanari, the pioneers of the Indian Mission who had come to India for the Golden jubilee celebrations. Her aged mother who was still alive participated in the funeral of her daughter, Sr M. Juliana with the spirit of ‘Mary, Most Holy’ offering her daughter the only possession she had on earth to the Heavenly Father.
Dear Sr M. Juliana, continue to smile on us from heaven with your wide big eyes and obtain the graces we need as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Centenary Jubilee of our Congregation.