HISTORY
The Congregation of ‘Sisters of the Holy Spirit’ was founded in Koblenz, Germany on 4th June 1857, by Mother Irmina Hoelscher with the help of Fr. Philipp de Lorenzi. On 5th February 1858 the four pioneers made their commitment and received religious names as (Anna Maria Hoelscher) (Sr. Irmina), (Mathilde Jesse) (Sr. Anastasia), (Anna Hoerter) (Sr. Severa), (Maria Eichner) (Sr. Modesta). Sisters placed their lives and activities under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In 1929, the Holy See raised the congregation to pontifical status during the papacy of Pius IX.
In 1862, the congregation extended its activities by admitting battered women in the convent house itself, as well as giving free tuition for poor students. They began to take care of the aged and sick in the new house1 5, Loehrrondell in 1865. In 1866, the first branch of the congregation was opened in Dudweiler / Saar. They mainly concentrated on the medical apostolate and teaching in industrial schools for the girls. In 1868 the second branch was opened at Saarbruecken. After the Kulturkampf (Culture Struggle) of the Government again allowed the sisters to open new branches and to recruit candidates to the congregation. Mother Elisabeth bought a plot at Moselweiss to start a hospital, a Novitiate and a home for the aged. In 1887 this centre was inaugurated and named as ‘Marienhof.
World War II brought destruction and tension to the congregation. In bombing, Marienhof convent and church building were completely destroyed. The Mother House was partially destroyed by fire. 1939 seven convents in Saar were closed down and sisters fled to unknown faraway places as refugees. The congregation lost all the documents regarding the foundation and activities of the pioneers because the archives were burnt down. A great demand was laid on each one to build up the congregation once again.
In 1964 Mother Euthymia and her team decided to extend the mission to India and worked hard for its establishment. Hence in 1973 congregation reached in India to work in Diocese of Chanda and started the first centre at Warur ‘Tera Prem’ on 21st January of the same year.
On 25th March 1980, the Indian branch was officially declared as a region of the congregation.On 12th June 1998 the Region was raised to the status of a Province and hence on 7th July 1998 the administrative office of the Region had been shifted from Apna Ghar to Holy Spirit Provincialate, 12/ 2 Vadgaonsheri, Pune.
On 8th September 2008, Sisters of the Holy Spirit launched its mission activities in Tanzania. Sisters started working with the Congregation of Missionaries of Compassion at Msolwa, Morogoro. In January 2018, The province started to network with St. Rita’s in Racine, USA.
Mother Generals of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit
