For 50 years, the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus religious congregation has served the most marginalized in India pointing “to the presence of God” in their hearts.
The religious congregation was founded in Spain in 1877 and first sent a group of sisters to India in 1968.
On Oct. 6, Bishop John Rodrigues, an auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Bombay, celebrated Mass to mark the order’s Golden Jubilee in the country.
“We thank God for all those whose lives have been touched through the communities and institutions. We recall the foundress, St. Raphaela Mary and the pioneers who came to India in 1968. We thank God for those who are presently associated with the institutions, the sisters led by the regional superior who strive to live their charism. Our hearts are filled with gratitude,” he told the sisters.