Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church -129
Sister Helena S.I.C.
Sister Helena was born on March 27, 1931, in the family of the Kalikkal Malanjeruvu (Pakalomattom family branch) in the village of Cherupushpagiri, near the well-known church in the Kerala Christian community. Her father, Mathew Saar, came from the ancient Mezhuveli Purathana family, and her mother, Eliyamma, was from the Mullanakuzhiyil family in Malanjeruvu. Born to parents who were believers of the Malankara Orthodox Church, Sister Helena was the fifth child among eleven siblings. The Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Cyril Mar Baselios, and John Mathew I.A.S. were her elder siblings.
Her father, Mathew Saar, who had worked tirelessly for the Orthodox Church, joined the Malankara Catholic Church in November 1930. Together with the revered Father Evanios Thirumeni, he worked hard for the Malankara Catholic Church’s interests. The family lived five miles away from the local church, and Sister Helena actively participated in religious study classes every Saturday and in the Holy Eucharist on Sundays. She was the first child born to her father after he joined the Malankara Catholic Church. It was Father Evanios Thirumeni who gave Helena the sacrament of baptism. He also chose the name Helena for her, inspired by the Holy Cross, which represents salvation, and named her after Saint Helena, the queen who discovered the Cross in Golgotha.
In the first year after entering the convent, she was appointed as a teacher. Even after making her vows, she continued her teaching duties. From 1970, she studied theology at the Mother Teresa Theological Institute in Goa. After returning, she resumed her teaching career. Around that time, the Malankara Church established a diocese in Bathery. Sister Helena was appointed to serve in this newly created diocese in the migrant area of Naduvil, located in the Kannur district. There, she developed the “Navodaya Social Center,” a program aimed at community development, which included programs for men, women, youth, and children, focusing on their overall growth.
After five years, in 1980, Sister Helena was appointed as the Vice Provincial of Bathery Vice Province of Bethany. As a result, she stepped away from the Navodaya activities and focused on women’s empowerment, a cause very dear to her. She continued organizing awareness programs for family strengthening. In 1986, when the Bathery Vice Province became a full-fledged Province, Sister Helena was elected as the Provincial Superior. After three years of service, she was assigned to the P.O.C. (Pastoral Office Committee) and served diligently in the editorial office of the “Thalathu” magazine for two years.
Sister Helena also played a significant role in the publication of books. In 2004, she compiled a book titled Bethany, which documented the 75-year history of the Congregation, and another book titled Vadamalurukal detailing the lives of 67 deceased sisters of Bethany, along with photographs.
Throughout her life, Sister Helena remained a teacher. Even now, at the Formation House of the Bathery Province of Bethany, she continues to teach. She plays an active role in organizing classes for women’s empowerment and in the mother’s groups at the parish level. Sister Helena’s contribution to the history of Bethany and Wayanad is indelible, and she remains a beloved figure in the service of the Holy Cross.
