Sister Rani declared ‘Blessed’ by Vatican, killer blessed by forgiveness

Indore : Kerala-born nun Rani Maria Vattali, who was stabbed to death in 1995 in Madhya Pradesh, was on Saturday declared ‘Blessed’, a sacred title in the Roman Catholic church order.

The Vatican’s head of the department for Cause of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato, declared Vattalil, popularly known as Sister Rani, ‘Blessed’, a stage below sainthood.

Cardinal Amato read out Apostolic (Pope’s) letter declaring her ‘Blessed’ in Latin at a Holy Mass at Saint PaulHigherSecondary School’s ground in city in presence of large numbers of clerics and Christians.

The nun’s killer also attended the ceremony.

Cardinal George Alencherry read out the letter of Pope Francis in English, while Cardinal Telesphore Toppo did so in Hindi at the mass presided over by Cardinal Amato.

Selmy, sister of the slain nun, who along with other family members was present at the ceremony, said she was “overwhelmed” at the declaration. An elated Selmy said she will walk on the path shown by her sister.

“The Blessed title is considered a prelude to beatification of sainthood as was the case with Mother Teresa,” public relations officer of Madhya Pradesh Catholic Church, Father Maria Stephen said. But for canonisation of sainthood, a miracle is required, he added.

All the four cardinals of India– Mar Baselios Cleemis (president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India), Mar George Alencherry (of Syro Malabar Church), Oswald Gracias (Archdiocese of Bombay) and Telephore Toppo (Archdiocese of Ranchi) graced the ceremony.

Sister Rani, then 41, was stabbed about 50 times on-board a bus in Dewas district on February 25, 1995, Stephen said, adding she was a member of the Syro-Malabar Franciscan Clarist Congregation. Her attacker Samunder Singh was hired to kill the nun as some landlords in Indore region were upset with her work on uplift of landless people, he said.

Singh was sentenced to life in prison by a court. His sentence was later commuted due to his good conduct in prison. He was also pardoned by Sister Rani’s family.

Singh recalled his brutal act at the ceremony. “At that time, I was in the grip of evil spirits because of which I did that job (killing the nun). Now, I do not want to say anything on the issue,” he said.

Singh, released from jail in 2006, said, “My life has changed. Now everyone in this world is part of my family. Sister Selmi and her relatives too are my family and their affection and love has totally changed my life.”

Then Indore Bishop George Anathil initiated the cause for Sister Rani’s canonisation process of the Blessed in 2001 by setting up two panels– historical and theological– to examine her life, Stephen said. The panels submitted their findings to a three-member diocesan tribunal in June 2005 to carry forward the process, the cleric said.

Sister Rani was found to have led a heroic life of Christian virtue. Thereafter, her name was sent to Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which reviewed the gathered information and recommended that the Roman pontiff declare the candidate “venerable”, he said. Two months back, the Vatican cleared the canonisation process to promulgate the ‘Decree of the Blessed’ on Sister Rani. It decided to send a representative of Pope to Indore to officially announce her the ‘Blessed’ on November 4.

Sister Rani was born to Paili and Elisha on January 29, 1954, at Pulluvazhi in Kerala. She took her first vows in 1974 and was then assigned to Bijnor for mission Apostolate. After serving in Bijnor, she was transferred to Satna and later in 1992 to Udainagar.  She was a champion for the poor and the marginalised, the MP Catholic Church said in a statement.

The nun began organising people who were exploited by moneylenders. Slowly, she was able to make a difference in their lives. Her self-help groups helped the poor and the downtrodden to break away from the clutches of established money lending community. This indeed annoyed the rich and powerful. She was threatened several times, but she was not to be tied down, the release said.

Her bold initiatives won hearts of poor tribal, but they did not go down well with those having vested interests who ultimately decided to eliminate her, the release added. PTI

At that time, I was in the grip of evil spirits because of which I did that job (killing the nun). My life has changed. Now, everyone in this world is part of my family. Sister Selmi and her relatives too are my family and their affection and love has totally changed my life  Samunder Singh (Killer of Siater Rani),