We wonder at the mystic and prophetic aspects in the life and spirituality of our Foundress Mother Gnanamma. She was in perfect union with God and so she could face a wide variety of challenges, uncertainties and setbacks. The divine energy within her was transformed of the time, identified the opportunities and explored possible solution to the illiterate women of the yester years. Her commitment, passion and perseverance still enable us to walk even through the untrodden path and take us to another level of development God’s amazing grace and call to Gnanamma Many a time God’s call comes in unexpected ways. It is amazing when we look at the life of our Mother Gnanamma in the light of the Word of God. She did not have any extraordinary ambitions or wonderful dreams. She was a humble widow, insignificant in the society. Yet,she was chosen by God to illuminate the lives of the illiterate girls. Her contemplation, courageous submission, creative response sowed the seed for a mighty Congregation: (i). Her contemplative activism ![]() As a mother knows her child, the artist knows his work, a musician recognizes his music and the contemplatives know God. They find themselves in an ocean of tranquility and they are free from external fears, cravings, desires, drives, pain, compulsion or attachments. It is said that the awakened soul looks at the reality at the deepest level and realizes the purpose of life. Mother Gnanamma though uneducated was aware of the factors that impede the access of girls to education at Kilacheri. There might have been a number of problems that hampered the welfare of the society at that time. Mother Gnanamma identified the illiteracy of the women which was based on gender discrimination as a major problem to be responded immediately. The Lord who heard the cries of the Israelites inspired her to contemplate over the situation. (ii). Her courageous submission to the Will of God ![]() Yet, nothing deterred her from starting a school for girls. The explicit example for her courage and commitment is that she went to her native place Phirangipuram, sold off her properties and invested the money in educating the poor girls at Kilacheri. Therefore, courage is essential to walk in the path of righteousness, express our solidarity with the poor and fight for justice.
(iii). Her creative response
![]() Instead, she made use of the opportunity for the formation of Arulamma and Agathamma at St.Anne’s Novitiate of Good Shepherd Congregation in Bellary. We find certain events and experiences seemed to be very simple for us, but it will have great impact in the future. Knowledge enables us to see things as they are, but God’s grace exhorts us to see things as they could be. ![]() |