Main Stream: Holy Spirit

The charism of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit is centered on being instruments of the life‑giving presence of the Holy Spirit in the world. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the sisters live and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ with joy, love, justice, and peace. Their mission is to accompany people in diverse cultural and social contexts, fostering human dignity, life‑giving relationships, and advocacy for justice and reconciliation. They seek to be present where the Gospel is not yet known or where faith has grown weak, bringing the freedom and life that come through Jesus Christ.

The Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit were founded on 8 December 1889 in Steyl, the Netherlands by Saint Arnold Janssen, the founder of the Society of the Divine Word, together with Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk and Blessed Hendrina Stenmanns as co‑foundresses. From their earliest days, the sisters were motivated by a missionary spirit and a desire to serve the Church in places of need. Shortly after their foundation, they began sending missionary sisters abroad, including to Argentina in 1895 and to Togo in 1897. Over time, the congregation has grown into a global community of nearly 3,000 sisters serving in more than 50 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, engaging in education, health care, pastoral ministry, social outreach, and interfaith dialogue.

sspsvocation@ssps‑us.org