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Origin

The Mission Sisters of Ajmer

St. Francis Province

Background History And Now

“Thy Sons O India shall administer to thy salvation”. This was the clarion call of our Holy Father Pope Leo XIII of happy memory, that reverberated through the world and struck a responsive chord in the heart of Rt. Rev. Fortunatus Henri Caumont OFM. Cap., who hailed from France, was appointed Prefect Apostolic in 1903, of the newly created Prefecture of Rajputana.

When Fr. Fortunatus Henri Caumont OFM. Cap., first came to Rajputana (Rajasthan) around 1890, and started work among the poor, illiterate village people, he found that owing to the ‘purda’ system and other social restrictions, it was not possible for the men missionaries to approach the women folk. Besides, they also had to help free the women of Rajputana who, because of their traditions and social customs, were secluded and isolated from the mainstream.

Hence to overcome this difficulty, Rt. Rev. Fortunatus Henri Caumont felt the need of starting another indigenous congregation of Sisters besides the PSA whom he founded in 1906. With this vision, and impelled by the Holy Spirit he started the Congregation of the Mission Sisters of Ajmer in collaboration with his sister Mother Mary Matilda SMA on April 26, 1911, on the feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel, and placed it under her patronage.
Our Pioneers Sisters

The Motto he gave us to the Mission Sisters was ‘IN HOC SIGNO VINCES’ which means “In this sign you shall conquer.” The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross celebrated on September 14, is the patronal feast of the Congregation. The Charism of our Institute is ‘An Intense Participation in the Redeeming Mission of Christ.’

The Province of St. Francis came into existence in 2001 when the Institute was bifurcated into Provinces. To realize our vision of ‘an intense participation in the Redeeming Mission of Christ’, we show God’s compassionate love to all, by involving ourselves in ministries like parish activities, BHCs, youth groups, women cells, prison ministry, service HIV/ AIDS patients and terminally ill cancer patients.

To empower women and girl children we manage schools and an autonomous college. God’s healing touch is transmitted through Hospices and a Hospital with a Nursing College attached to it. To empower the poor we run a social service center.

We have 26 Houses under our Province and we work in the Dioceses of Ajmer, Jaipur, Udaipur, Gorakhpur, Diphu (Assam), Bombay, Goa and Thamaraserry (Kerala).