Sr Selmy Paul FCC
(Younger sister of Sr Rani Maria FCC)
“Obviously, I was angry with the killer at first. But the message that Jesus and Mother Mary were with her at the time of her ordeal made me understand that it was all part of God’s plan for her. If it was God’s plan, why should I be angry or harbour hatred toward him [Samandar Singh]?…. I had pardoned him already in my heart. I also shared it with my sisters. They not only rejected it with contempt but said Singh should be paid in the same coin. I pleaded with them not to think in that way since whatever happened was according to God’s will. Gradually they stopped making such statements before me…When I shared the idea with my superiors and the then bishop of Indore [the late George Anathil, SVD] they all disagreed with me. They insisted that I should do it after the case came to its logical conclusion. Because of my health, I was also not in a position to go on my own to jail and meet him. But I kept praying to God for giving me an opportunity to meet him.
One day I shared the idea with a Carmelite of Mary Immaculate priest, Fr. Andrews Athapilly. He said it was the real missionary spirit and suggested to me to meet Singh. The priest said the ideal time would be Rakshabandhan but the question remained as to who would take me to Singh in jail. When I requested the priest, he asked me to get the bishop’s permission. The bishop turned down the idea.
I was happy that I pardoned Singh. But I felt the need to pray more before meeting him. I started perpetual adoration for that intension. On July 15, 2002, another CMI priest, Swami Sadanand, called me and asked whether I was willing to meet Singh in jail. I immediately asked him who will take me to him. He subsequently made all the arrangements for my meeting with Singh. On August 21, 2002, the Rakshabandhan day, I tied rakhi on Singh’s wrist inside the jail in Indore…I was looking at him but he kept his eyes down. When he came from the cell to the visitors’ gallery, he looked frightened and was shivering. As soon as he came close to me, he folded his hands and said, ‘Forgive me, it was a grievous fault from me and I will do penance for it.’ I consoled him saying, ‘We have forgiven you and God too has forgiven you.’
Since we had only five minutes for the meeting, I immediately tied rakhi on him and gave him a pack of laddoos [an Indian sweet given on joyous occasions]. He distributed the sweets among us with a taut face…
My family consists of two brothers and five sisters, besides the parents. I had already discussed with them my plan to meet Singh and they supported it. They also expressed their desire to meet him in jail. My mother met him in jail in 2003. She also kissed his hands that had stabbed Rani Maria… After we accepted him as our family member, we all wanted him to come out of the jail as early as possible. He was sentenced for 20 years in jail. When we consulted legal experts about his early release, they advised us to appeal to the authorities in Madhya Pradesh State, such as the governor and chief minister. We did so, but it took four more years to see the results. He came out of the jail in August 2006, after spending 11 and a half years there. Even his family members did not support us initially. But we kept pressing them and their hard stand thawed finally. His younger brother gave the commitment for his release….
Rani Maria’s death was God’s plan to spread His message in a region where Christians and Christianity are not well known and where Christians are accused of illegal conversion of the poor. Now those living in the area where Rani Maria died have begun to realize that Christians are not for conversion, but for serving the poor. One day a student asked me how I could forgive Singh. I replied, ‘God permitted me to do so.’ I am convinced that God works through such incidents, which according to our eyes are only cruel acts done against an individual or humanity…. Christianity always grew amid bloodshed and attack. Christ Himself had to shed His blood. However, such attacks will never defeat God’s mission. Christianity will flourish as long as Christians practise forgiving love. We have to pray for everyone who attacks us and kills our people. Our attackers do not know God and His love.
