The Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) is a Congregation founded by St. Arnold Janssen on December 8, 1889, in the village of Steyl in the Netherlands, with the assistance of Sisters Maria Helena Stollenwerk (Bl. Maria Helena) and Josepha Hendrina Stenmanns (Bl. Josepha). From a humble origin in a remote village in Steyl, Holland the Order has now branched out to over 46 countries with around 3,700 Sisters of 40 nationalities forming a network of over 400 communities. The first group of 4 sisters arrived in India in 1933. Today, the Congregation has expanded its mission to over 15 states in India.
Seeing the health conditions of the people of Mumbai, Sr. Carmelann Mckee promptly set up a dispensary, in 1964 fondly known as “Jungle Hospital”. Today, Holy Spirit Hospital is a 325 bed multi-specialty hospital 26 general ICU and 14 beds ICCU catering to approximately 2 million people.
As Missionaries, there is a constant endeavour to build up basic human communities, work for social justice and peace, and defend the rights and dignity of women. The core apostolate of the Sisters in India are Education, Health care and Socio-pastoral care, HIV/AIDS, Battered women, Domestic workers especially for the marginalized, women and children. The motto in all these activities is “Service in Love” as Servants of the Holy Spirit of Divine Love.
This is evident from the dedicated involvement of the Sisters in the well patronised Holy Spirit Hospital and in the vicinity through five different clinics in the slums. A team of doctors, nurses, social workers and other paramedical staff work daily in these centres especially for the economically backward and the marginalized of society. Preventive and promotive health care is provided through immunization programmes, antenatal care, family visits and health education. Health workers’ training programmes, Balwadi, supplementary food for pre-school children, vocational training programmes for women, school health programmes and AIDS awareness programmes are all part of the community development programmes undertaken. Nursing education and one stage of religious formation are the other areas of concentration. The Sisters also find time to involve themselves in the SCC movement and family apostolate, in the Parish.
The Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS),
Holy Spirit Hospital
Mahakali Caves Road,
Andheri East,
Mumbai – 400 093
Tel: 91-022-28202371 / 28248507