Ranchi Province of Daughters of St. Anne Marks 23 Years of Mission

Ranchi, Feb. 16, 2026 — The Ranchi Province of the Daughters of St. Anne commemorated 23 years of its foundation with a solemn celebration at St. Anne’s Mother House, bringing together nearly 300 Sisters from communities across the Province.

The anniversary, observed annually on February 11, was celebrated on February 15 this year to enable wider participation. The Province honours Our Lady of Lourdes as its patroness.

The observance was organised around the theme “Consecrated Life – Freed by the Evangelical Counsels.” Delivering the principal reflection, Fr. Ashok Kumar Sandil invited participants to re-examine the meaning of consecrated life in contemporary society. He described religious vocation as a response to God’s initiative and emphasised that consecrated life is fundamentally a call to freedom — freedom from attachment to possessions, ego and self-will.

He urged the Sisters to embrace holiness through total self-gift and to embody Gospel values of personal freedom, communal equality and social justice. Reflecting on the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, he also cautioned against the growing culture of excess and waste, noting its implications for human dignity and the environment. He encouraged a renewed return to the founding charism and spirituality of the congregation.

A significant moment of the celebration was the release of the Province Year Book 2025, GACHH – Goals Achieved through Commitment, Hard Work and Hope. The publication was presented as a record of the Province’s journey, documenting achievements, challenges and mission initiatives. Its theme echoes the Jubilee Year 2025 focus on hope.

The event also recognised academic excellence within the congregation, with two Sisters honoured for earning doctoral degrees. The Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr. Sandil, was followed by the presentation of the Provincial report. According to the report, the Ranchi Province currently comprises 394 Sisters serving in 43 communities, with a growing missionary presence in Europe.

An open session provided space for dialogue and future planning. The Sisters resolved to expand mission outreach, adopt villages at the community level, enhance the quality of apostolic work, strengthen ecological responsibility by reducing plastic use, and deepen community life through personal prayer.

The Foundation Day celebration concluded with a renewed commitment to carry forward the Province’s mission with faith, responsibility and hope.