Health justice and access advocate for CommonSpirit, Adam Manypenny, visited Seelampur with SCNs Rena Fernandez, Ann Moyalan, and Premila Parackatt in Delhi. He was accompanied by his wife Julia. As the program manager for community and international health, Adam helped strengthen that ministry through a grant at CommonSpirit. He said of the experience, “The whole day was wonderful! It was great to see first-hand the work of the Sisters in action.”

Dignity Health aligned with Catholic Health Initiatives to become CommonSpirit Health in 2019. CommonSpirit provides Community Health International Grants to sponsoring religious orders with programs in urban and rural locations outside of the United States. Particularly, CommonSpirit seeks organizations to implement their mission of making the healing process of God known in our world by improving the health of the people they serve, especially those who are vulnerable while advancing social justice for all.

The Office of Mission Advancement, including Sister Rena Fernandez, had the opportunity to meet with Pablo Bravo and Adam Mannypenny with CommonSpirit Health earlier this summer in Nazareth, Kentucky. Pablo and Adam were visiting grantees and wanted to learn more about the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the Community Animation and Women Empowerment Program in India.

The program in Dehli called Seelampur educates young women and girls and prepares them for self-reliance through skills training. In the narrow alleys of one Delhi slum in India, many lives are brightened as hope takes root at Seelampur. The Sisters and staff address existing challenges through education, empowerment, guidance, a listening ear, and support. They work very hard administering workshops, skills training classes, and other programs to create systemic change. At Seelampur, they are making a lasting impact on the future.

Sister Premila Parackatt commented that, “Asha Deep Ujjval, Seelampur was blessed to have Adam and Juliana Manypenny visiting us. The staff and students of Asha Deep Ujjval were delighted to welcome the honorable guests into our midst with Indian traditional Tikka and Arati, followed by the presentation of a bouquet and shawl. After a welcome song and short entertainment program, a display of the end products of the skill training activities was presented.”

“Adam Juliana seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed their time and the short program. They were appreciative of everything. We are ever grateful for the support and encouragement in our ministry through which we are able to reach out to many women, young girls, and downtrodden people in the Seelampur locality. We are grateful to God the Almighty for making this day possible and giving us favorable weather till everything was over. The presence of Sisters Ann Moyalan and Rena Fernandes doubled our joy and is appreciated much. We ask God’s abundant blessings on Mr. Adam Manypenny and Mrs. Juliana Manypenny and all their endeavors.”