Message from the Superior General

We, the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters, belong to a religious institute of Pontifical Right called Ursuline Franciscan Congregation, dedicated to apostolic works, following the Rule and Life of the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St Francis of Assisi. It was founded on April 10, 1887, Easter Sunday by Fr Urban Stein SJ, the then Parish Priest of Rosario Cathedral, Mangalore. The motto of the Congregation is ‘Pro Amore Dei’ (For the Love of God). This Motto is the heritage received by the members of the Company of St Ursula, from St Angela Merici. In the first Legacy she writes – Firstly, then, dearest Mothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ, try with the help of God to acquire and maintain within you such an attitude of mind and heart that in your task of governing, you act solely for the love of God and zeal for the salvation of souls.  

Our saintly Founder Fr Urban Stein SJ, bequeathed to the early members what he had in the depth of his heart, namely the spirit of the Gospel and of St Ignatius of Loyola, and the marrow of the Rule of St Angela Merici which he gave to the pioneering members of the Company of St Ursula. The Founder simply but clearly shared with the first members, Mother Nympha Fernandez and companions, his spirit and vision for the Company that is, God and Eucharist-centred life and people-centred mission. Into it was integrated the Franciscan spirit when the Congregation was affiliated to the Franciscan Order through the mediation of Fr Pacificus OFM Cap. Thus the origin, identity and growth of the Congregation are influenced by St Angela’s interiority, Franciscan love and Ignatian wisdom. We follow a specific tri-polar spirituality which is spelt out as the spirituality of Relationship of St Angela Merici, spirituality of Kenosis of St Francis of Assisi and spirituality of Discernment of our Founder, Fr Urban Stein SJ. 

In following Jesus we share in his mission of establishing God’s Kingdom in the world. Therefore, our life is essentially apostolic. Fully aware that apostolic effectiveness depends on God’s grace and through the testimony of love, we participate in the apostolic mission of the Church through our apostolate of Education, Pastoral Care, Social Development and Health Care. We integrate our life and mission according to the charism and spirituality of the Congregation, being aware of the needs of the time, the needs of all social classes, especially the poor and responding to them adequately. The sick and elderly members of the Institute too are actively involved in the apostolate of prayer, thus taking part in the redemptive work of Christ. We are supported in our mission of mercy and justice by our Ursuline Franciscan Lay Associates (UFLA). Currently we have 350 temporarily affiliated and 287 permanently associated members who are actively involved as partners in our missionary endeavours. 

Eighty-eight years have gone by since the canonical erection of the Congregation, and over these years the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation has spread into four continents namely Asia, Europe, Africa and America in 39 dioceses with 930 Sisters and 150 formees. The Sisters in the spirit of synodality participate in the mission of the Church with renewed zeal. We offer our service to the Catholics and people of other faiths in remote villages and poverty-stricken areas. Faithful to the original charism, the Congregation pursues its apostolate in the field of evangelization and catechesis, pastoral assistance to priests and missionaries and engages in multiple works of mercy and charity. Our schools and primary health centres have been feeders to the continuing and fulfilling of the mission entrusted to us by the Lord through the Church. The remote missions of the Congregation in India, Africa and America offer to its young members a challenge to radical discipleship and missionary evangelization, in the spirit of St Francis of Assisi and St Angela Merici, and in the footsteps of our Founder and Pioneers.   We live the present with passion, embrace the future with hope by being women of the dawn, women of passion for God and people, women of joy and inner freedom. We ‘launch deeper into the lives of the people solely for the love of God’ in simplicity of life, and proclaim the message of the fullness of life of God’s Kingdom’.
The theme of the 14th General Chapter of the Congregation was ‘Repair My House’. These words St Francis of Assisi heard from the crucifix at San Damiano offer us three stages of reflection: SEE, JUDGE, ACT: see the existential reality of today as individuals, community and Congregation, in the Church and the world; judge by looking back to our history and with critical awareness consider what we have lost from our life, the original form and spirit of the Congregation and act in order to repair, rebuild and restore always on one foundation, namely Jesus Christ.  This theme resonated in all our reflections, discussions and deliberations of the Chapter. During these grace-filled and spirit-led days the delegates of the Chapter delved deep into the burning issues and concerns of the world, Church, Congregation, community and self. The major issues discussed, evaluated and considered were the new poor in the fringes, self-absorption, ‘winter spirituality’ of the Congregation, counter influence of media and gadgets, divide and rule politics as well as increasing violence and fundamentalism. Having realized our call to holiness, with a sense of synodality of participation, communion and mission, we pledged ourselves to repair, renew and rebuild self, community, Church and the world. 

I invite all those of you who go through the pages of this website to have a glimpse of our life and mission, encourage and support us with your appreciation and prayers. I wish that our young people who glance through these pages are inspired to respond positively to work in the vineyard of the Lord through Ursuline Franciscan Congregation with that generous ‘yes’ if their inner voice beckons them saying ‘Come follow me’.