On March 3, 2025, the Government of India appointed a Catholic nun to be a notary.
Advocate Sr. Sheeba Paul, a member of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, Pune Province, became the first Malayali nun to be appointed as a notary, a historic moment for the Indian Catholic community.
She has been a practicing lawyer for 13 years in Mumbai in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.
Sr. Sheeba has dedicated her career to legal advocacy, particularly in family law.
“I always look at family as the foundation of society, striving for unity and togetherness,” she told Catholic Connect.
“Through my work, I have witnessed many families reconcile and rebuild their lives,” she said. “Today, very few are willing to sit and truly listen to people’s problems. We have a religious duty to listen compassionately and help those in need."
In India, a notary acts as an unbiased witness and verifies the authenticity of legal documents by making sure the signatories are who they say they are and that they signed them voluntarily. By using their official seal to prove signatures are real, notaries stop fraud. Their primary role is to authenticate, certify, or attest to legal instruments, including administering oaths and witnessing swearing for affidavits, as outlined under the Notaries Act, 1952.
Sr. Sheeba’s journey into the legal profession began in her youth. As a 10th-grade student, she participated in a catechism visit to the central jail in Palakkad in the southern state of Kerala, where she hails from.
It was in Palakkad that she encountered women prisoners pleading for prayers due to a lack of legal assistance. Their suffering deeply moved her.
“No one was willing to take up their cases. That moment planted the seed in my heart to pursue law,” she recalled.
Before entering the legal field, Sr. Sheeba served as a social worker, supporting underprivileged families in rural areas after completing her bachelor’s in social work.
It was only in 2009 that her provincial superior encouraged her to study law. In 2013, she began practicing in Mumbai, where her congregation established a legal ministry in 1998.
Currently, Sr. Sheeba resides at Shanthigar, a shelter home for women and children in crisis, where she and her congregation provide care and legal support to those abandoned and without recourse.
Reflecting on her spiritual journey, she credits her congregation for unwavering support.
“What I am today is only because of my congregation. They have stood by me, believed in me, and given me the strength to reach this point,” she said. “I have always felt the hand of God guiding me. I am not afraid to take risks in life.”
Encouraging other nuns and priests to explore similar vocations, Sr. Sheeba emphasized the need for greater representation in the legal profession.
“More religious people should be motivated to enter such fields. Only then can we help more families and those in need," the nun said.
With her new appointment, Sr. Sheeba Paul stands as an inspiration, proving that faith and justice can go hand in hand in transforming lives. – With input from Catholic Connect
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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