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Description
Religious Sister, Martyr, Franciscan Clarist Congregation [Syro-Malabar Rite] (1954 - 1995)
Feast / Memorial Day: February 25
Patronage: aid workers, missionaries
Also known as Rani Maria

+ SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:

Sister Rani Maria was born in Kerala (India) into a Catholic family of the Syro-Malabar church. In 1972 she entered into the Franciscan Clarist Congregation. She worked as a missionary in Northern India in various dioceses in the most isolated villages. She had a preference for the oppressed and the marginalized. Her aim was to alleviate suffering, console broken hearts, bring peace, form consciences, promote justice and defend the truth. Her Franciscan spirituality, profoundly Christ-centered, was expressed in the motto “Jesus for all, and all for Jesus”.

In 1992 she was sent to Udainagar, in the diocese of Indore. Here Sister Rani Maria promoted the creation of a savings co-operative, for the loan of money without interest. This obtained for her the detestation of the money lenders who couldn’t then oppress the poor. The threats to which she was subjected did not intimidate her but made her more generous in the giving of herself: “I have the strong conviction that I was chosen to be here for the poor and oppressed. I am happy to work for them, because they too are children of God, our brothers and sisters”.

The hostility towards Sister Rani and her actions for the Kingdom of God, heightened when she managed to obtain the release of several Catholics from prison who had fallen victim to a trap. Her enemies decided to get rid of her and decreed her death.

(OFM - Rani Maria Vattalil )

On the morning of 25th February 1995, Sister Rani Maria was killed by Samundar Singh, a hired hit man of the rich landlords who were angry with her work among the landless laborers. The murderer got into the bus in which she was travelling along with a rich landlord Jeevan Singh. Samundar asked the bus driver to stop the bus and got out of it to break a coconut on a rock by the side of the road. The Hindus believe that they should break a coconut before they start any auspicious or religious work which reminds one of what Jesus said (John 16: 2), “Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.”

True to this Samundar Singh stabbed Rani Maria fifty-four times and left her on the wayside bleeding. She died repeating the Name of Jesus.

(Living Faith India - Rani Maria Vattalil )

Following her murder, Singh was arrested, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder; he was released in 2006, has met with and was forgiven by Mariam’s family, and attended her beatification approved by Pope Francis in 2017.

+ FURTHER READING:
Wikipedia - Mariam Vattalil / Syro-Malabar Church
CatholicSaints.Info - Mariam Vattalil
Rani Maria - Biography
Knanaya Catholic Church - Rani Maria
...

Description
Religious Sister, Martyr, Franciscan Clarist Congregation [Syro-Malabar Rite] (1954 - 1995)
Feast / Memorial Day: February 25
Patronage: aid workers, missionaries
Also known as Rani Maria

+ SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:

Sister Rani Maria was born in Kerala (India) into a Catholic family of the Syro-Malabar church. In 1972 she entered into the Franciscan Clarist Congregation. She worked as a missionary in Northern India in various dioceses in the most isolated villages. She had a preference for the oppressed and the marginalized. Her aim was to alleviate suffering, console broken hearts, bring peace, form consciences, promote justice and defend the truth. Her Franciscan spirituality, profoundly Christ-centered, was expressed in the motto “Jesus for all, and all for Jesus”.

In 1992 she was sent to Udainagar, in the diocese of Indore. Here Sister Rani Maria promoted the creation of a savings co-operative, for the loan of money without interest. This obtained for her the detestation of the money lenders who couldn’t then oppress the poor. The threats to which she was subjected did not intimidate her but made her more generous in the giving of herself: “I have the strong conviction that I was chosen to be here for the poor and oppressed. I am happy to work for them, because they too are children of God, our brothers and sisters”.

The hostility towards Sister Rani and her actions for the Kingdom of God, heightened when she managed to obtain the release of several Catholics from prison who had fallen victim to a trap. Her enemies decided to get rid of her and decreed her death.

(OFM - Rani Maria Vattalil )

On the morning of 25th February 1995, Sister Rani Maria was killed by Samundar Singh, a hired hit man of the rich landlords who were angry with her work among the landless laborers. The murderer got into the bus in which she was travelling along with a rich landlord Jeevan Singh. Samundar asked the bus driver to stop the bus and got out of it to break a coconut on a rock by the side of the road. The Hindus believe that they should break a coconut before they start any auspicious or religious work which reminds one of what Jesus said (John 16: 2), “Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.”

True to this Samundar Singh stabbed Rani Maria fifty-four times and left her on the wayside bleeding. She died repeating the Name of Jesus.

(Living Faith India - Rani Maria Vattalil )

Following her murder, Singh was arrested, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder; he was released in 2006, has met with and was forgiven by Mariam’s family, and attended her beatification approved by Pope Francis in 2017.

+ FURTHER READING:
Wikipedia - Mariam Vattalil / Syro-Malabar Church
CatholicSaints.Info - Mariam Vattalil
Rani Maria - Biography
Knanaya Catholic Church - Rani Maria
...