IMAGE: CNS photo/Anto Akkara
By Anto Akkara
BANGALORE,
India (CNS) — An Indian nun stabbed to death in 1995 will be beatified Nov. 4,
and one of those who will celebrate is her assassin.
Clarist
Sister Rani Maria Vattalil, 41, was stabbed in front of more than 50 bus
passengers on a remote jungle track in Madhya Pradesh state as she was on her way
home to Kerala state to visit.
Samandar
Singh, then 22, murdered her on behalf of money lenders upset with Sister Rani
Maria’s work setting up self-help groups in the Diocese of Indore. Singh has since
been forgiven by the nun’s family and was released from prison.
“Whatever
happened has happened. I am sad and sorry about what I did. But now I am happy
that the world is recognizing and honoring Sister Rani,” Singh, a Hindu,
told Catholic News Service Oct. 30 in a telephone interview from his village of
Semlia.
Singh
was convicted of the murder and initially was sentenced to death; the sentence was later
commuted to life in prison. He said Sister Rani Maria’s younger sister —
Clarist Sister Selmy — formally accepted him as her “brother” while
he was in prison and facilitated his early release. Court officials agreed to the release in
2006 after mandatory declarations were signed by Sister Selmy, her parents and church
officials.
When
Sister Selmy was preparing to return home to southern Kerala state in January
2007 to visit her ailing 82-year-old father, Paul Vattalil, Singh accompanied
the nun an apologized to her parents.
“I
am now eagerly waiting for the big day,” Singh told CNS.
Bishop
Chacko Thottumarickal of Indore told CNS the beatification of Sister Rani Maria
“will be an inspiration for those serving the needy and poor in difficult
circumstances in the country.”
“Sister
Rani Maria challenges all to carry on their work even if there is opposition
and not to get disheartened by obstacles,” added Bishop Thottumarickal.
Sister
Selmy called the beatification “a miracle.”
“Sister
Rani urges us all to go forward fearlessly,” said Sister Selmy, who serves
in a remote village in Uttar Pradesh state.
Cardinal
Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, will preside over
the beatification. Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro, apostolic nuncio to India,
will lead the thanksgiving Mass Nov. 5 at Udainagar, 25 miles from Indore.
– – –
Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
