Kandhamal Parish Honours Religious Sister from Bamunigam Village

Khandhamal, Jan 6, 2025: In a rare and deeply symbolic celebration of vocation emerging from a region marked by violence and resilience, Bamunigam parish in Kandhamal witnessed a Thanksgiving Mass in honour of Sacred Hearts Sister Usha Rani Nayak, as she returned home following her first religious profession. The occasion held special significance as she became the first consecrated woman religious from her family and among the growing number of vocations rising from Kandhamal.

The Thanksgiving Mass marked Sister Usha Rani’s first return to her native village after making her first profession on 8 December 2025 at the Sacred Hearts Novitiate in the Philippines, formally entering the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts. As her family was unable to attend the profession abroad, the parish and village came together to publicly acknowledge and celebrate her consecrated life through a solemn liturgical and community observance.

A solemn Eucharistic celebration followed, bringing together family members, relatives, and the wider faith community. After the Mass, a felicitation and a procession through the village streets concluded at her home.

Expressing her gratitude, Sister Usha Rani said she was deeply thankful to God, her family, and the members of her congregation who nurtured her vocation, especially at a time when she had almost given up the idea of becoming a religious. “This journey is entirely God’s grace,” she shared.

Her father, Bibhishan Nayak, described the day as a moment of great pride for the family, noting that Sister Usha is the first nun in their khandan. He recalled that during the 2008 Kandhamal violence, when she was in Class II, he sent her to Rourkela to continue her studies. He added that Sister Usha is the 18th religious sister from Bamunigam village.

Reflecting on the celebration, Sr. Sujata Jena of the Sacred Hearts, who witnessed the event, said it was deeply moving to see the way the family and relatives honoured and celebrated the consecrated life of their daughter and sister. She noted that such a public witness is especially significant at a time when religious life is often considered irrelevant.

The celebration once again highlighted the resilient faith of Bamunigam parish—part of Kandhamal district, scarred by the 2008 violence—now bearing witness to hope, vocation, and a renewed commitment to God’s call.

By Catholic Connect Reporter