It is with immense joy that I look back on my religious life as a missionary in the SCN community for the past fifty years. I believe it was a vocation within a vocation to follow Jesus serving the marginalized by being one with them. This identification gave me a unique mission throughout those fifty years.

I was born on February 15, 1950, in Kothamangalam, located in the Ernakulam District of Kerala. I have five sisters and one brother. The eldest is my sister Mary. After her, one sibling passed away. I am the third child. Following me are my younger siblings: Elsy, Rosily, Sister Annie (a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame), my brother Joy, and the youngest sister, Jolly. My father was the late Mr. Joseph Thombrakudyl, and my mother was the late Mrs. Aleykutty.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy with her family

I completed my school studies in 1965 from convent schools and I did my Junior College studies in Science. I then pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree (B. A.) in Economics in Mar Athanasius College, Kothamangalam in 1970. I was the first girl from my parish to pursue college studies so I was given many opportunities to serve the youth in the parish, leading the Sodality group and Mission League and teaching in the Sunday School.

I began reading two missionary magazines named Kunjumissionary and Preshitakeralam during my college days. These magazines greatly influenced me in choosing my vocation to missionary life. I decided that I wanted to join a missionary congregation. So, after consulting my spiritual director, I joined the first missionary congregation in Kerala, Daughters of St. Thomas in the Pala Diocese in 1970.

After our batch completed our novitiate and took vows, however, I was asked to do further studies to build up the financial stability of the newly started congregation so that the future members could go north for missionary work. I felt this decision did not suit my desire to be a missionary. Hence a few of us left that congregation and joined the SCN Congregation in the year 1973, on 10 June. After a year of novitiate, I made my first vows as an SCN in 1974.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy, Fall 1989

The first mission I was assigned to as an SCN was Sokho, a parish of Santal Tribals, in the Munger District of Bihar. It was an enriching experience for me to live among the people. Under the able guidance of Sister Lucia Thuluvanickal, SCN, and Father Dan Rice, SJ, a veteran missionary, I began my pastoral ministry. I served in the Sokho mission from 1974 to 1976. During this time, I realized that without learning the language of the people, we cannot be effective in our mission. So, I spent one month in Torai, in the Dumla District of Jharkhand, at a catechetical center, attending a Santali language course. This experience gave me a lot of courage and confidence to integrate into the life of the people in the villages.

I then requested permission from my congregation to join a team called Deena Sewa Dal, directed by Father Hans Hendricks, SJ, of the Hazaribag Province of the Jesuits. With the blessings of our provincial and team, I joined the team in 1976 and worked with them until 1982. This new venture turned out to be the most adventurous and fruitful period of my missionary life. I was given twenty-two Santal villages situated in the heart of a dense forest for direct evangelization. I stayed in these villages with a Santal girl companion, spoke their language, dressed like them, and lived with them in their homes. This immersion into the culture of the people provided me with a fundamental foundation and orientation for the rest of my journey as a missionary.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy with candidates Mary, Basanti, Magdalena Hasdak, Anna Mariam Murmu, Susanna Tudu, and Stanisla Hembrom in Mokama in August 1983

From 1982 to 1984, I was assigned to Jamtara, another locality with a Santali-speaking community. I continued working in the Santal villages, teaching them gospel values through various methods such as songs, dance, and puppet plays in the evenings. Additionally, I worked with the diocesan catechetical team for one year, contributing to the evangelization efforts in the parishes.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy conducts a tailoring session for tribal women in Jamtara

In 1984, I was called to pioneer a new mission area among the Santals in Khorimahua, along with Sisters Juliana Tuti and Francine Moozhiyil. Besides direct evangelization in the villages, I had the opportunity to organize Santal youth by conducting adult literacy classes, teaching them the Santali language, and raising awareness about the value of education, encouraging them to send their children to school.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy works with a mason to lay a foundation stone

From 1987 to 1989, I was in Mumbai pursuing my Master of Social Work (MSW) studies. After completing my studies, I was assigned to Lupunguttu Mahila Kalyan Kendra in the Chaibasa District of Jharkhand, where I worked among the Ho tribal group, particularly focusing on training girls in the Training of Rural Youth for Self-Employment (TRYSEM) project assisted by the government. This role also provided me with the opportunity to study the Ho language, which greatly facilitated my ministry.

In a significant effort to promote self-employment among women, 800 girls were trained in various skills such as tailoring, knitting, incense stick making, leaf plate making, and mushroom cultivation. This comprehensive six-month training program also included literacy classes in Ho and Hindi languages, as well as social awareness sessions. Each participant received a stipend from the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), a government organization for developmental projects.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy with young women who completed a six-month tailoring program

The final batch of mushroom-production-training was provided to 200 women from ten villages. This initiative aimed to organize and educate the women to combat the prevalent issue of Dyne Killing (the killing of supposed witches) in their society. In 1995, the training staff extended their efforts by conducting awareness sessions in each village, engaging groups of men, women, and youth. Once the village groups were prepared, the team organized a rally from Ganjara village to Barkela village in Singhbhum District. This rally, led by the women, aimed to raise public consciousness across the region. The District Collector (District Magistrate), Mr. Amit Khare, was informed, and he invited various government departments and the police force to join the rally. Additionally, Father Mathew, SJ, a social activist from the Lupunguttu Jesuits’ community, brought all the students from their school to participate. He also mobilized the night school boys to perform street plays on the theme of witchcraft.

A total of 4,000 people, including District Collector Amit Khare, participated in the rally, which passed through several villages and culminated in a public gathering at Barkela village. During the meeting, several victims shared their experiences, and the District Collector announced measures to combat the criminals involved in witch killing. He stated, “I order to give legal aid to the women victims,” and offered the building Yatri Nivas in the town as a legal aid center for the women leaders, free of cost. This initiative was a noteworthy success and was covered by the English newspaper Telegraph the following day.

Five motivated young women leaders emerged from this group and informed me that they would take the initiative to go to villages in the other blocks of Chaibasa district. They planned to stay among the people, conscientizing them and creating awareness against witchcraft beliefs. The very next day, this group moved to Khuntpani Block and began their work in the villages. Every Tuesday, they came to the legal aid center in Chaibasa town to assist women victims, coinciding with the weekly market day in Chaibasa. The District Commissioner asked me to name this women’s group, and I called it Jilla Mahila Samiti. He granted them Rs. (rupees) 60,000 for their work in the villages.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy trains a young woman to knit

Among the 800 young girls who had completed training in TRYSEM, I selected 100 Ho tribal girls and registered an Adivasi Cooperative Society to obtain contract work for stitching school uniforms from various institutions. The District Collector, Ms. Rajabala Verma, provided thirty-two shops for these girls to stitch the uniforms in Chaibasa town, and the girls got the shops registered in their names. She also allocated Rs. 8 lakhs (800,000) to build a training-cum-production center and a hostel for Mahila Kalyan Kendra. I worked in Lupunguttu Mahila Kalyan Kendra from 1989 to 1996.

From 1997 to 1998, I worked in Hunterganj alongside Sister Joel Urumpil, SCN, organizing women in the villages. I was also involved in the Mahila Samakhya Program in the Hunterganj unit. In 1999, I dedicated a year to community service in Mokama.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy with a migrant inmate at an asylum

From 2000 to 2003, I worked as a social activist in Sale, Mahuadanr, in the then Palamau District of Jharkhand, collaborating with the parish Sisters of eight parishes of the diocese. My efforts focused on organizing women and establishing Gramsabha (Village Assemblies) in each village. I played a key role in securing approval for a Matric (matriculation) exam center and a plus-two exam center for St. Joseph’s School run by the Jesuits in Mahuadanr. The District Collector of Latehar allocated Rs. 6 lakhs for a Tribal Cultural Center, Dhumkudia, which the women leaders constructed in the heart of Mahuadanr.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy teaching an english lesson for students in Xavier Institute for Tribal Education (XITE)

From 2003 to 2012, I served as the assistant administrator and hostel warden at the Xavier Institute for Tribal Education (XITE) in Gamharia, Jamshedpur. XITE was dedicated to empowering tribal Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students, providing them with the skills needed to secure better employment opportunities. During my tenure, I played a decisive role in obtaining affiliation and registration for XITE College, enabling it to commence its BBA program.

From 2012 to 2015, my journey took me to Kakkavayal, where I managed an orphanage and worked closely with tribal communities in nearby villages. My efforts were focused on improving the lives of these vulnerable populations.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy with hostel children in Kakkavayal

In 2015, I began working with migrants in collaboration with the Kerala Province of the Jesuit Society. As the first SCN from our Province to engage in this mission, I utilized my knowledge of tribal languages and cultures to uplift the status of migrants in Kerala. My work involved ensuring they received proper documentation, fair wages, and spiritual support. I organized regular Eucharistic services and cultural celebrations, helping them maintain their faith and traditions despite language barriers. As a pioneer in this ministry, I made significant contributions to the development of migrant support initiatives in Kerala. It was with a heavy heart that I eventually said goodbye to this vital work.

On April 30, 2024, I was transferred to Kallanode to continue my ministry with migrants in the area. Currently, I carry out this mission independently, drawing on my extensive experience with the Jesuits over the past nine years. This experience has thoroughly prepared me to continue serving migrants in Kallanode.

Sister Gracy Thombrakudy

This year marks the golden jubilee of my first profession as an SCN. Reflecting on my life and work as an SCN and a missionary fills me with faith, courage, and gratitude. I am deeply thankful to God, my family, and my Congregation for the abundant blessings I have received. God has been my constant companion, guiding me through every struggle and turmoil, and holding me precious in His sight.

As I continue my journey as an SCN, I am filled with hope and a renewed commitment to fulfilling my life’s mission. May God’s will be done in my life. Mary, our Blessed Mother, remains my model of faith, guiding and supporting me at every step. I aspire to be an instrument of God’s peace, justice, and reign.

Interested in reading more Marie Menard Committee stories? Click here: https://nazareth.org/tag/marie-menard/