Sister Lucy Kurien, protector of India’s most vulnerable people, to give Founders Day lecture
Nazareth University is honored to present Sr. Lucy Kurien, founder of a sanctuary in India for society’s most vulnerable, as its Founder’s Day lecturer on Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Nazareth Arts Center Callahan Theater. “Where There is Love, There is Dignity: Maher Ashram, A Haven of Hope” is free and open to the public. Nazareth University Founder’s Day was Oct. 15, commemorating the founding of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Le Puy, France, in 1650. Five Sisters of St. Joseph founded Nazareth in 1924.
Driven by the stark poverty she witnessed in Mumbai at age 14, Kerala native Lucy Kurien dedicated her life to bringing love and dignity to the poorest of the poor. This led her to join the Sisters of the Cross and later partner with HOPE, an Indian organization helping marginalized women gain self-sufficiency through employment.
Increasingly, she felt pulled toward a different, more demanding mission. When a woman seeking safety tragically lost her life, Sr. Lucy vowed to make a change. Today, Maher ("Mother's Home") stands as that promise — offering hope, healing, and a safe harbor for those in need. From one small house opened in 1997, Maher now shelters destitute women, children, and men in 73 homes across seven states in India. Education, health care, social services, spiritual care, and inclusive community are hallmarks of every Maher home. Each person is welcomed regardless of caste, religion, color, class, age, gender, or sexuality.
In 2017, marking Maher’s 20th anniversary, Sr. Lucy launched the “Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature” (IASHN) to broaden the organization’s global impact. That same year, the United Nations awarded Maher “consultative status.” Maher will soon celebrate its 30th anniversary — with its staff and residents modeling the power of compassion transformed into institutional excellence, creating spaces “where society’s vulnerable can rise to new life.”
The Founder’s Day lecture is part of the Shannon Chair Lecture Series with the 2026-27 theme of Centering Human Dignity, Harnessing the Forces of Love and Justice.
Contact
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
