A woman of substance

A woman of substance is not a mere cliché. The term is used to describe those women who cross every barrier along their way to make life meaningful for themselves and others. My good friend Rev. Sr. Jessie Jerome was a shining example of such a woman of substance. Her sudden demise on May 9th has saddened many in Bangalore and beyond. People knew her as a religious nun, a headmistress, a teacher, a friend, a counsellor, a social worker and more.

Sr. Jessie belonged to the congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes that runs the famed St. Francis Xavier Girls’ High School in Cleveland Town. Much of the 77 years of her life sparkled with enduring activities and selfless service to society. As a teacher and headmistress, she was a mother figure to several children teaching and mentoring them to a virtuous life. As an educated woman, she had counselled and assisted many women burdened with the hardships of life. As an industrious woman, she became part of the Prison Ministry. She brightened up the lives of many living in the harsh conditions of our prisons through her excellent counsel. As a religious nun, she took time to pray and pass on the spiritual insights she gained to others in her daily dealings. As a friend, she sought every occasion to put a smile on those she interacted with by her cheery deposition and joyful words of assurance. As a responsible citizen, she stood and fought for social issues such as justice to the oppressed at any given opportunity. As a noble human being, she walked the path of integrity and truth, illuminating our dark world with her bright values.

In the WhatsApp group formed soon after her passing, all of her contacts remembered her gratefully and paid their respectful homage to her. Perhaps god’s providence to end her fruitful life on Mother’s Day was no coincidence. It turned out to be symbolic of the fact that she had been a mother figure to the many she had reached out to in love and service. She will forever be remembered for leaving behind a blueprint for all posterity on how to be a woman of substance through her well-lived life.