Medical Sisters of Saint Joseph

The Medical Sisters of St.Joseph is an Oriental Religious Congregation for women canonically ascribed to the Syro-Malabar Church. It is a Congregation of sisters with simple vows and the charism of the congregation is ‘compassionate love’. It has got Pontifical status and has got abbreviated title as MSJ. We combine both active and contemplative life, by joining the work of Martha to the prayer of Mary. It is a congregation whose members strive for self sanctification and sanctification of others through healing ministry and there by establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

History of the Medical sisters of St.Joseph

    Way back in early thirties of 19th century when health was not considered as a priority issue, the heart of a visionary was set on fire with zeal and compassion for the suffering under privileged brethren of our country. The Congregation of the Medical Sisters of St.Joseph is the fruit of the deep God experience and merciful love of our revered founder father, Servant of God Msgr.Joseph C.Panjikaren   (1888-1949) towards the sick and suffering. Msgr.Panjikaren who was the director of the propagation of faith in the Vicariate of Ernakulum had taken keen interest in his life to proclaim the good news of Jesus to the poor. A zealous pastor that he was, Msgr.Panjikaren had directly seen the pain, the hardships, and the loneliness of the sick and poor during his many pastoral visits. It was his deep conviction that the church had the responsibility to provide Medical Service to these people. Realizing that the proclamation of the Gospel is to be supported by genuine acts of Charity, our founder opened a hospital named ;Dharmagiri;(Charity Mount) at Kothamangalalm, Kerala in 1934.At that time when not many in the Catholic church in Kerala had opted to nurse the sick ,our founder decided to found a religious congregation for women ,that has care of sick as its apostolate.

    On 31st October 1944, the then Metropolitan of Ernakulum Arch-diocese, Mar Augustine Kandathil granted official permission for the Congregation. With the profession of seven sisters on 3rd July, 1946 the religious congregation under the title the ;Medical Sisters of St.Joseph;( MSJ) got canonically erected in the church with the status of a Diocesan Congregation.