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Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters are an international group of Catholic women living and working in more than 40 countries. They are an official "religious congregation" within the Catholic Church, with members (after some years) making a vowed commitment to the loving service of God and their sisters and brothers in need around the world.
They were founded in 1889 in Steyl, Holland by a German priest, Arnold Janssen, and two German women, Helena Stollenwerk and Hendrina Stenmanns. From the very beginning their vision has been to share God’s love and the knowledge of Jesus Christ with people of different nationalities and cultures, in whatever ways they can.
Their ministries cover a wide range of services in education, health care, spirituality, catechetics, evangelisation, pastoral care, community and personal development, justice, peace and environmental issues.
The Holy Spirit Sisters came to Brisbane, Australia, in 1944, refugees (and POW's) from the war in Papua New Guinea, where many lost their lives. In 1945 they obtained a farm property in Aspley (now Carseldine) and established their Order. In 1946 they purchased the old Lister private hospital on Wickham Terrace, central Brisbane, and set up Holy Spirit Hospital. In 1962 they opened Holy Spirit Home at Carseldine. Both these facilities were subsequently administered by lay men and women were are committed to the sister’s vision. Holy Spirit Hospital was sold in 2002 and the sisters are currently involved in Holy Spirit Northside Hospital with the Sisters of Charity.
The Sisters are also involved in ecumenical parish ministry in the "churches together" project in Springfield, a new area west of Brisbane; in psychiatric pastoral care; in spiritual guidance and hospitality at Holy Spirit Centre at Carseldine; in parish ministry in East Kew, Melbourne; in inter-religious dialogue in Sydney and in ministry among aboriginal people in Goondiwindi.
The letters S.Sp.S. after a sister’s name stand for the Latin "serva spiritus sanciti" meaning servant of ‘the Holy Spirit’.
The Australian Congregation's logo (below) depicts the spirit of God (the dove) who is at the centre of all creation and within every person.
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