Sister Marie Joel of Jesus nee Julia Sabina Rodrigues, was born on 13th September 1948 to Goan parents in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. She hailed from a God fearing family and grew up in a home where there was peace and contentment. Her father was Joseph Marie Rodrigues, an army officer who was constantly on the move and her mother was Flory D’Souza a homemaker. The parents were a great inspiration to their children. In this peaceful atmosphere our sister Marie Joel was born as the second child. The eldest brother Dominic is in U.S.A. at present, her sister Anny, her younger brothers John and Raymond are in New Delhi. All her brothers, sister and relatives and friends loved her very much as she was very simple humble, kind, gentle, and tender as a loving mother.

She was baptized on 3rd October 1948 in the Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul, Jabalpur. She studied in Carmel School, New Delhi and Graduated from S.S. College, University of Calcutta. She completed her typing and short hand in Vijaymarie, Technical Institute, Mangaluru and Spiritual Theology at Jyothir Bhawan, Kerala. She also did Navkanti Cousre, at ‘Saranya’, Banaguru.

Our Sister Marie Joel was admitted as Postulant in January 1969 and made her first profession on 15th May 1971. The final profession took place on 13th May 1976. In 2021 she was to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of her Religious Profession.

Sister Marie Joel lit the path of so many young postulants who were under her care. As a very spiritual person the Superiors found her fit to be a formator. This very special mission she carried on for nearly fifteen years very efficiently and effectively. All her postulants have very fond memories of her training. Though she was very firm yet she was very impartial towards all. Sister Marie Joel held many responsible posts as an Apostolic Carmel Sister. She was in Technical School, Patna, for many years teaching short hand and typing. She was superior in many convents, Carmel Convent Patna, Sacred Heart Convent Jamshedpur, St. Joseph’s Hazaribag and so on. She was elected as the Provincial Bursar in Kolkata before the bifurcation of the Province into Northern and Eastern Provinces. She was the Provincial Councillor for three terms in the Northern Province. Her gentle loving ways endeared her to one and all. She was very unassuming and warm in her dealings with others. Anyone could approach her for help and she gave a listening ear to all. All know her talent for singing as she was gifted with a beautiful and a strong voice.

She was transferred to Carmel Convent, Dhanbad in May 2019. She came from St. Joseph’s Convent, Hazaribag after a term of being a superior. For nearly a year she was the coordinator of the primary block. The staff and the students loved her very much and went to her for every need and support. She would send them back giving them some needed advice and all were satisfied with her smile. She was very affectionate, loving, kind and cheerful. Her demands were very few, was satisfied with whatever was given to her. We found her very neat in her person always and her room was always tidy and neat. Everything was in perfect order in her belongings. Our Aspirants and Candidates will miss her very much as she was taking their reading practice and teaching them correct pronunciation.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) Sister Joel had strong faith in God, she was not frightened of the sickness that surrounded her. She suffered silently all the pain and aches. Even when her diabetes disturbed her she endured without making much fuss of it. She was very slow to complain about her sicknesses. We found that she was not looking well on Friday 30th October. Sister Sandra, the Superior of the community, decided to take her to the hospital and made all the arrangements and was taken immediately. But the doctors found her condition quite serious and admitted her and put her on the ventilator. As the doctors found more complications, on 5th November she was shifted to Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur for better treatment. On the following day however, she suffered one more cardiac attack and took her flight to heaven at about 6.00 p.m. All of us were quite shocked to hear the news of her passing away.

Her funeral was at 10 a.m. on 8th November, in Sacred Heart Convent, Jamshedpur. We had a meaningful Eucharistic service, by Fr. Edward Saldana who was the main celebrant, besides him there were few other priests who joined him for the con-celebration of the final journey of our dear sister. We are grateful to Father Gyanprakash Topno the parish priest and Father Maria Charles the assistant parish priest, for being there for administering the Sacrament of the sick to her.

We are grateful to our Provincial Superior Sister Doris D’Souza and her team and all the sisters of Jamshedpur who gave their support and help. We sincerely thank the Sisters of Jamshedpur, Sacred Heart Convent specially Sisters Valsa the Superior of the community and Rashmita the Principal of the school for going out of their way in making all the necessary arrangements. We also thank Sister Noreen and the community, the sisters of Carmel Sonari and Bal Vihar for all the help rendered to us. We are grateful to all the doctors and nurses of Dhanbad and Jamshedpur. Surely our dear Sister Joel will intercede for all of us from heaven.

Finally, we say a warm and grateful thank you to our well wishers, friends, A.C.A’s, and relatives of our dear sister, specially her sister Anny and her husband Neeraj who made it possible to be present when we bid our dear Sister Marie Joel the final adieu.

Dear Sister Joel “Your life is a blessing, and your memory a treasure, you are loved beyond words, and missed beyond measure, we say farewell now dear Sister, till we meet again in heaven above.”

A tribute of love from Sister Sandra and the Community, Carmel Convent, Dhanbad.