Sr. Regina Castelino: Serving the aboriginal communities in Papua New Guinea
By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network
Udupi, 24 October 2010: The story of Sr. Regina Castelino belonging to the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate, popularly known as PIME has been quite adventurous and inspiring. Nurturing a desire to dedicate herself to a life in a religious congregation right from her childhood, Sr. Regina joined the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate and worked in many centres in Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai and Goa. Later, she proceeded to Rome for higher spiritual studies and was called upon by her Superior General to proceed to Papua New Guinea, a far off island country in the Southern Pacific. Though initially she found it quite difficult to adjust to the new environment, Sr. Regina gradually began to appreciate the people and the culture of the local aboriginal tribes of Papua New Guinea.
Eldest among three children, two sons and only daughter of late Albert and Marecline Castelino of Shankerpura, Regina was born on 7th September 1949. Studying up to the seventh standard in the Pangala Church Higher primary School, Regina proceeded to Innanje High School from where she completed SSLC in 1966.
Since childhood, Regina had a strong desire to join one of the religious orders. In her mother’s family there had been a number of vocations and by their examples she was inspired to walk on the path of the religious life and mission. However, being the only daughter, that too eldest in the family, Regina kept this desire a secret from her parents for quite some time. While she was studying in the 10th standard, Regina opened the topic of her desire to join the religious life to the parish priest of Pangala, Fr. Gabriel Castelino who was a strong promoter of vocations in the parish. A number of young people had joined religious orders during his tenure as the Parish Priest.
Recalling the circumstances that led to choose the religious order Missionary Sisters of Immaculate also known as Nirmala Sisters, Sr. Regina said that once on her way to home from the church, she happened to see few Nirmala Sisters at the bus stop and was very much impressed by their religious dress. As she went closer to the sisters and opened a conversation, one of the sisters asked Regina about her future plans after completing SSLC for which she replied that she would like to join a convent. Hearing this reply from the young and promising Regina, the sisters suggested that she could join their own congregation. They even visited her home to convince the parents.
Within few days of her meeting the Nirmala Sisters, Regina made up her mind to join the convent. Regina’s father was not quite happy with the decision of his eldest daughter. However, realising that his daughter had already made up her mind eventually agreed to her joining the religious order.
Soon after getting the SSLC results, Regina joined the congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate in 1966 and started her religious training at Bhimavaram near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh and took her first vows in 1970. Sr. Regina underwent teachers training course for two years and also did secretary course for one year and in 1976 took final vows at Bangalore.
Sr. Regina worked in different convents and mission centres in different parts of Andhra Pradesh where the congregation has seventy communities. She stayed in the villages and worked among common people educating them and trying to solve some of their problems. Besides working in different regions of Andhra Pradesh, Sr. Regina also served in Mumbai for twelve years working in the leprosy hospital at Versova and also in Goa for two years.
Realising her capacity to higher religious learning, the superiors of Sr. Regina sent her to Rome in 1998-99 to study in the Regina Mundi institute where she did spiritual course. Meanwhile, she also picked up the Italian language. While studying in the Regina Mundi, the Superior General of Sr. Regina called her and said that she has to send a sister to Papua New Guinea to work as a librarian in the Catholic Theological Institute, a training institute for priests and she thought of sending her on this new assignment.
On hearing about this new assignment, Sr. Regina was confused and uncertain. She requested the Superior General to grant her a week to reflect on this offer. After a thorough assessment of the assignment and prayers, Sr. Regina eventually decided to proceed to Papua New Guinea and communicated her acceptance of the assignment.
Returning from Rome, on her way to Papua New Guinea, Sr. Regina came home at Shankerpura to meet her mother in January 2000 and left for the new assignment in Papua New Guinea, a completely strange and new island country in Southern Pacific Ocean.
After reaching the capital city of Papua New Guinea, Moresby, Sr. Regina met the sisters of her congregation who had come to receive her and went to their centre. From next day itself she started working as librarian in the Catholic Theosophical Institute.
Sr. Regina has been doing her routine library work from Monday to Friday and on Saturday and Sunday she has been fully involved in the pastoral work in the Basic Christian Community teaching them catechism, promoting vocations and acting as youth animator. Meanwhile, Sr. Regina did diploma in Library Science.
In 2005, a Delegation House of the Nirmala Sisters was established in Papua New Guinea where four Indian sisters resided and worked. Sr. Regina said that initially she found some difficulty in getting herself acquainted with the conditions of Papua New Guinea and getting to know the local people. However, gradually she could learn about their customs and traditions and came to appreciate their way of life and culture.
Papua New Guinea is one of the most diverse countries on the earth, with over 850 indigenous languages and at least as many traditional societies, out of a population of just under 7 million inhabitants living on its various islands. Approximately 96 per cent of the population of Papua New Guinea is Christian. The churches with the largest number of members are the Roman Catholic Church, 27 per cent followed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 19.5 per cent. Other Christians are distributed among other dominations and sects such as the United Church, and the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pentecostal, etc. Although the major churches are under indigenous leadership, a large number of missionaries remain in the country. The bulk of the estimated 2,000 Americans resident in Papua New Guinea are missionaries and their families. The non-Christian portion of the indigenous population, as well as a portion of the nominal Christians, practices a wide variety of religions that are an integral part of traditional culture, mainly animism (spirit worship) and ancestor cults. The people live a simple life, often without electricity and water. Today, there are 19 dioceses on the island. The Church in Papua New Guinea works for communion and unity, respecting the various ethnic groups.
The Missionary Sisters, who are part of the religious family of PIME, have embraced the local culture of what are among Papua New Guinea’s most populated islands. The Kiriwina Islands which is also known as the Trobriand Islands are very different from the other islands of Papua New Guinea. While the majority of Guineans are Melanesians, the inhabitants of Kiriwina are of Polynesian origin. They are people who are very tied to their culture and their own traditions. Although many, especially the youth, leave the islands to go and live in the city, they remain united to their own identity and when they return to their villages, they live out their traditions. The sisters are part of an international community that is dedicated to pastoral work: visiting families and organizing activities for children, teenagers and adults. The people actively participate in the liturgy, especially in songs during the Mass.
Sr. Regina who had an opportunity to attend final profession of two local sisters of her religious order said that the entire religious service and the celebration after it manifest the strong roots of the local people in their typical culture and traditions. The pictures that she had taken during these two occasions speak for themselves regarding the customs and traditions of the people of Papua New Guinea.
Sr. Regina has been in India to do spiritual renewal courses and promote vocations since April 2010 and will return to Papua New Guinea in January 2011. I had an opportunity to meet and interact with Sr. Regina when she was on a visit to her home at Shankerapura and had been to Moodubelle to meet William D’Sa (Willie Master).