Indian Church’s Wellness Initiative Empowers Women Religious Across the Country

Bengaluru, May 27, 2026: In a significant step towards strengthening holistic wellbeing within the Church in India, the St. Dymphna National Institute of Wellness celebrated its third anniversary alongside the graduation ceremony of the fourth batch of the Shalom Wellness Programme in Bengaluru on May 24.

The event brought together priests, women religious, and lay faithful from various parts of the country, reflecting the Indian Church’s growing commitment to emotional, psychological, spiritual, and social wellbeing among its ministers and communities.

Established under the Catholic Mental Health Ministry (CMHM) of the CBCI Office for Healthcare, St. Dymphna National Institute of Wellness has emerged as India’s first inter-congregational wellness initiative dedicated to Catholic women religious. Over the past three years, the institute has become a pioneering centre for accompaniment, renewal, counselling, leadership formation, and holistic wellness.

The institute was founded in response to appeals from major superiors who recognised the increasing need for emotional support, leadership training, and personal renewal among women religious engaged in demanding ministries and apostolates.

Speaking during the celebration, organisers highlighted the institute’s mission of helping religious women rediscover resilience, purpose, and inner healing in the midst of contemporary challenges facing Church ministry and consecrated life.

The initiative is led by Sr. Dr. Joan Chunkapura, MMS, whose work in holistic healing and wellness ministry has received recognition from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI). She is assisted by an inter-congregational team of religious sisters involved in programme coordination, counselling, formation, and wellness ministry.

Since its inception, the institute has expanded its presence through centres in Bengaluru, Changanassery, Kodaikanal, Peerumade, and Sambalpur. These centres offer a range of programmes focused on accompaniment, leadership formation, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual renewal for women religious across India.

Among its flagship initiatives is the month-long residential “Shalom Wellness Programme,” which recently concluded its fourth batch. Nearly 80 sisters from different regions of the country have participated in the programme so far, benefiting from guided accompaniment, counselling, community living, and holistic wellness sessions.

Recognising the cultural and linguistic diversity of women religious in India, the institute has also introduced wellness programmes in several Indian languages to ensure greater accessibility and deeper personal engagement.

In addition to residential programmes, the Dymphna team conducts workshops and formation sessions in convents, congregations, and formation houses across the country. Special initiatives aimed at candidates and young religious focus on emotional maturity, leadership development, healthy interpersonal relationships, and spiritual wellbeing.

“Any religious woman in India can approach Dymphna at any time for renewal, accompaniment, and wellness support in her preferred language,” the organisers affirmed during the anniversary celebration.

Church leaders and participants at the event noted that the ministry has contributed significantly to building healthier, more compassionate, and resilient religious communities, while strengthening the pastoral and social ministries carried out by women religious throughout India.

As conversations around mental health and holistic wellbeing continue to gain importance within ecclesial spaces, the St. Dymphna National Institute of Wellness is increasingly being viewed as a model initiative responding to the evolving pastoral needs of consecrated life in India.

By Sr. Virginia T Sangma ,AC

Executive Secreatry , CMHM