The Congregation of the ‘Poor Sisters of Our Lady’ was born on September 15, 1939 – the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, founded by Rev. Fr. George Fernandes (Ph.D, D.D.) His original name was Antonio Benedicto Fernandes. Born in Chicalim, Colvale, Goa on 23rd April, 1903.
The spirit of the Poor Sisters of Our Lady is – GLADLY EMPTYING TO GOD, offering in perfect detachment from created things, in total availability to God, that through them, God may become incarnate again today.
This charism is translated in the various apostolates the Sisters carry out: educational, social, (Divya Prabha Home for street girls), Pastoral, prison ministry, migrants, health care (dispensaries, aged homes) and evangelization
The Spirit of the Congregation is contained in the words ‘I am here among you as your servant’. It’s motto is ‘behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word’.
Our spirituality is Marian, with special emphasis on Our Lady’s role in the passion and death of our Blessed Lord. OUR LADY OF SORROWS will, therefore, hold a unique and cherished place in our spiritual life.
Hers was a life of deep faith, of unfathomed humility, unbounded love, complete dependence on God, total surrender to His Holy Will and a continuous YES to all that He asked of her. Mary uttered her FIAT not only at the Annunciation but during her entire life, right up to Calvary, in deeds and words.
Decisive and faithful, her FIAT was faith filled, an act of total self-gift to God’s will to cooperate in Christ’s salvific offering at Calvary.
God our loving Father, / we thank and bless you / for choosing Your servant George Fernandes / to be Your faithful and zealous priest of the Archdiocese of Bombay / and the Founder of the Congregation of the Poor Sisters of Our Lady. / His ardent love and unflagging zeal for the Eucharist, / devotion to Mother Mary, / especially through the recitation of the Rosary, / his compassion for the poor and sick, / and dedication to youth and children / have borne abundant fruit. / May he continue to be our intercessor / to bring down a rain of holy priests and religious vocations. We humbly implore You Father / to grant us this special request / through the intercession of Your beloved servant George (mention your request). If it be Your will, / deign O Lord to grant Your beloved servant / the honours of the Altar / for Your greater glory and the spread of Your Kingdom.
We honour Mary as the principal patroness of the Institute under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows, and with filial love and devotion we entrust ourselves and all we do to her who became Mother at the foot of the Cross (Jn 19:27). From her we learn total surrender to God’s will with ardent love and unwavering faith (MC 20, LG 58).
St. Joseph, our second patron, shows us a life of deep personal love of Mary and Jesus, as spouse and son, in silent, faithful, obedient service that helped to carry out the great mysteries of redemption
It is with feeling of joy and gratitude that I thank God for allowing me to shepherd the Institute of the Poor Sisters of Our Lady for the past three years. A delicate responsibility indeed! However, I firmly believe that God gives enough grace to bring those tasks to completion. If He has brought me this far, He surely will see me through.
My priority is towards formation and vocations. Our Sisters are doing well in various ministries, including prison ministry and migrants. Our Founder Servant of God George Fernandes is a step further from being Venerable. We need to keep his vision alive in our hearts through our apostolate.
I thank my Councillors and all Sisters of my Institute. We hope to work together to make our dream come true for our institute. May Mary our Mother and Patroness accompany us in doing God’s will at all times and may St. Joseph our second patron be our protector and guide as we walk the Synodal way.
Sr. Dr. Romana Fernandes, PSOL
Superior General
The Poor Sisters Of Our Lady prays for the members of the congregation, lay associates, collaborators and all people of the world. In addition to community prayer, we have a separate prayer time set aside daily, for intentions.
We invite you to send your prayer requests to us for : serious illness, operation/surgery, family, employment, examinations, repose of the soul of a loved one, private personal intention.
