Sister Mary Prateeti       

Sister Mary Prateeti                            ND 5595                                  PDF Download

Mary Paulose MAKEEPUTHENPURA

Our Lady of the Assumption Province, Patna

Date and Place of Birth:             January 27, 1937            Kuravilangad, Kerala
Date and Place of Profession:  January 06, 1965           Jamalpur, Bihar, India
Date and Place of Death:            December 1, 2020         Provincial House, Patna
Date and place of Burial:            December 2, 2020        Provincial House Cemetery, Patna

Sister Mary Prateeti was born as the third of the eight children of Varkey Paulose and Rosa Kuriakose Makeeputhenpura. She was baptized at St. Mary’s Church, Kuravilangad on February 2nd 1937. She received her First Holy Communion on June 25th, 1944. 

Mary attended the Government primary school close to her home and St. Peter’s High School, Elanji. In her autobiography Sister recalls the many opportunities she had during her high School years to learn Catechism and to read spiritual books. She could attend Holy Mass three or four times a week. She received spiritual direction from a priest who helped her to grow in her faith and to discern her call to religious life. After completing her High School, Mary stayed at home for a couple of years. She helped the parish priest with Sunday Catechism Classes. 

During the summer of 1961, Mary met Sister Mary Freda and Sister Mary Karuna who had gone to Kerala for Vocation Promotion work. She was readily accepted by them as an aspirant. She travelled to Jamalpur with 7 other aspirants. At her investment in 1963, Mary received the name Sister Mary Prateeti. At the end of the novitiate Sister Mary Prateeti and her companions made their profession in the Provincial House Chapel in Jamalpur. 

Sister Prateeti was sent to Goa for her Theology study and later to Hyderabad for Montessori training. Sister was engaged in the ministry of education all her life. Sister proved to be a very gifted teacher of the little ones in the Montessori and Primary Classes. She has also served as directress of the Montessori in Patna and Jamalpur.

Sister Mary Prateeti’s specialty was in giving demonstration classes. Our younger Sisters and many teachers in our schools have learned from Sister the art of keeping a class room full of little ones alive and enthusiastic in learning. Another area of Sister’s expertise was in teaching ‘handwriting’. Sister’s “Easy Steps for Handwriting”, published by Jay See Publishers, has made its rounds in many other schools and formation houses.  

Sister Mary Prateeti was brought to Patna from Jamalpur on November 23, 2020, with severe cough and cold symptoms and was admitted to Holy Family Hospital. During the investigation she was found to have some cardiac problems. Due to her persistent breathing difficulty she was shifted to the ICU and given oxygen support. Her chest congestion did not clear up in spite of high doses of medication and she had to be given ventilator support. Fr. Michael Ignatius from Navjyoti administered the last sacrament. At 9:30 AM on December 1st, 2020, Sister Prateeti’s condition turned serious. Sister Mary Tessy and a number of Sisters were at her side when she quietly and peacefully passed away at 10:35 am.

In spite of Corona virus restrictions, the Sisters from Jamalpur, Munger, Sheikhpura, Barh, Piro and from the nearby houses managed to come to Patna to bid farewell to dear Sister Prateeti. Most Rev. William De Souza SJ, Archbishop of Patna, concelebrated the Mass of thanksgiving with a number of priests at 10.30 am on December 2nd. The remains of Sister Mary Prateeti were interred in the Provincial House cemetery immediately after the Holy Mass. 

Sister Mary Prateeti will be remembered as a committed community member, interested in everyone and everything with a compassionate heart for the weak and the slow.