Mother Dr. Mary Litty, the founder of the Little Servants of the Divine Providence (LSDP)Thiruvalla: Mother Dr. Mary Litty, the founder of the Little Servants of the Divine Providence (LSDP), passed away here on Saturday.
The Mother, who dedicated her life for the uplift of the poor and the underprivileged in the society, breathed her last at the Divine Providence Convent, Kunnanthanam, in the early hours of Saturday. She was 81 years old. Her cremation will be held at 9.30 am on Wednesday.
Founded by Sr. Litty in a small rented thatched hut on January 17, 1978, the LSDP went on to become one of the largest congregations of nuns in the country. She reached out to destitute people as well as abandoned children and orphans with disabilities and provided a healing touch and care to them.
Currently, LSDP has 16 centers under it where 162 professed sisters take care of nearly 2,000 sick inmates.
The congregation’s service has been expanded to Thuckalay in Tamil Nadu and Bijnor in Uttarakhand apart from various other states in the country.
Born on August 2, 1935 as the youngest child of O. P. Joseph and Brijeetha of Oliyappuram House, Ramalloor near Kothamangalam, Sr. Mary Litty’s original name was Kochu Thresya.
She did her schooling from St Agustine's Girls’ High School, Kothamangalam, and completed her undergraduate program from Assumption College, Changanassery, before joining the order of the Missionaries of Christ Jesus (MCJ) at the Dharmagiri convent in Kothamangalam in 1955.
After her Vestition she was sent to Rome from where she obtained a medical degree before practicing in Ireland and England for several years.
Later, Dr. Litty returned home and started living at the St. Joseph’s Convent at Mukkoor near Kunnanthanam, serving in different hospitals attached to the Congregation.
Several awards and honors did come her way, including the National Award for Child Welfare and the award for social service instituted by American Malayali Association of Love and Acceptance (Amala).
Her siblings are the late O. J. Paul, and O. J. Sebastian, and Sr. Jose Mary, Sr. Annie Jose, O. J. Peter, and Sr. Illuminata.
