Meghalaya: First Garo nun, Sr. Liliana K Marak passes away
TNT News | Shillong, July 01, 2018:
Rev. Sr Liliana K Marak, the first Garo nun, also fondly referred to as 'Lily of the Garo Hills' passed away on June 30 at Nazareth Hospital in Shillong. She was 93 years old.
There will be a Concelebrated Requiem Mass at Sacred Heart Shrine, Tura on July 2 at 9.00 am which will be followed by the funeral cortege to Cathedral Cemetery, Tura.
Out of the 93 years that Sr Liliana Marak lived on earth, 66 years were spent in the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA). She was born on November 1st 1925 to Simson G Momin and Oboni Louisa K Marak of Resubelpara. She completed her matriculation from St Mary's High School, Shillong in 1950. It was during those years that she came across the Salesian Sisters and got attracted to join them. She discerned God's call and decided to join the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
Accordingly, she was sent to Madras in 1949 for the aspirante and postulancy and entered the novitiate at Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu. In the same house she made her first profession on May 24th, 1952. Soon after, she was sent to Sacred Heart, Mawlai in Shillong as an information, assistant and teacher. She made her Perpetual Profession in Nongthymmai, Shillong on August 5th, 1959.
She was a nursing student at Mary's Guwahati from 1956-1960 and was trained in GNM and Midwife and Obsterical Nursing from Ganesh Das Hospital in 1957. In 1970 she completed the Nursing Course of Instruction from All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Calcutta. Being a trained nurse, she had rendered noble services in this capacity as nursing tutor and Matron at Ganesh Das Hospital for a number of years.
Many nurses remember her as she held the position of being the first President of Trained Nurses' Association of India, Meghalaya State Branch. She also served as the President of National Guide of Catholic Nurses, Garo Hills.
She was instrumental in starting the Salesian Cooperators' Unit in Garobada and worked hard in spreading the Salesian charism with this group.
Throughout her life she was notable for her jovial and friendly ways. Everyone who knew her was attracted by her unique smiling face and jolly ways of dealing with all. Her commanding ways were blended with the credibility of life that she lived. That she was deeply religious, is attested by the sisters and her family members.
When her family members were asked, how they would like to remember Sr Liliana, promptly came the reply 'Lily of the Garo Hills' .
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