South Indian Province
since 1906
Lived Charism
Health Care ministry is the legacy from our pioneer sisters. (1906 onwards).
Today the Health Care Apostolate is interpreted differently and with varied emphases and broader dimensions. It comprises the following:
- Care of the sick and Health Promotion
- Training Health Care Personnel
- Integrated Rural Development
- Women empowerment
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Pastoral involvement at different levels - Social concerns
The heritage from the pioneer sisters is continued through the service in Government hospitals. Through a number of health care centres at various levels such as Hospitals, Health Centres, Dispensaries and Rural Development Programmes we work towards a healthy society. Health care is made available to all, rich and poor alike. Health Care is not merely curing the sick; health promotion is equally important.
We engage in training young people in health care related professions, as nurses, nursing tutors, nursing assistants, technicians in allied professions, and village health workers. Together we make a forceful impact on the development of the society.
We aim at an integral development of the society through the health care ministry. Rural development, women empowerment, pastoral involvement and social concerns are built into the health care ministry.
I am Sr Adele Pynadath and I live with four other sisters in a village called Koullpalayam in the State of Tamil Nadu. Most of the people among whom we live belong to the lowest caste. They are illiterate and earn their living as stone cutters. Since they will never be able to pay their debts they have become life long serfs of the rich land-lords. On their own they will never break the vicious cycle of poverty and oppression. It is precisely this situation which challenges us to live our Holy Cross Spirituality concretely today in this context. Our primary aim was to help these people to discover their own worth and dignity. Together with them we organised a three year self help development programme:
- Education in capacity building
- Guidance and support in small business development
- Building houses for families.
At the moment we are busy with the development of a Health Care programme.
