The first religious profession was held at the Novitiate House, Kira Mulawa (Kampala) in the presence of Mother General, Sr. Emiliana Park and one General Council member, Sr. Dafrosa. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by the SDB Provincial Fr. Peter Celestin Ngoboka.
The day was the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord as well as the day for the Consecrated, the Religious. And it was even more meaningful because on that same day, a First Profession was also held at the Suwon Province and the Perpetual Profession of two sisters was held at Seoul and Gwangju Province.
The Congregation was founded through the evangelizing work of the Salesian missionaries who arrived in Japan in 1926 and was established in 1937. In 1986 the Congregation was officially accepted as the 14th member of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco.
The Founder Fr. Antonio Cavoli, SDB, and Co-founder Venerable Fr. Vincenzo Cimatti, SDB, were the first Salesian missionaries in Japan along with three other Salesian Fathers and three Brothers. The morning of their departure, the missionaries gathered in Don Bosco’s room in Turin; the Rector Major, Fr. Filippo Rinaldi, bade them farewell, by saying, “The only way to enter the hearts of people, at least the only indispensable way, is love.” Then they went to Rome, where they received the special blessing and words of encouragement from Pope Pius XI.
The Congregation Motto is “Beati Misericordes” (Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Mt 5,7) and “Docete Omnes Gentes” (Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature, Mk 16,15)
The Charism is based on the compassionate love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, just as Jesus showed mercy to his people during His time on earth, especially to those who were suffering. We also imitate Jesus and show mercy and share our love to the people with the same heart.
Until 2010, the Caritas Sisters were in 14 countries all over the world: Japan, South Korea, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Papua New-Guinea, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Australia, America, Germany and Italy. The vocation was rapidly decreasing in the Asia continent where most of the sisters are and the Congregation took courage to start the mission to the African continent in 2011, namely in South Sudan. Five sisters went and started the first community in Juba. In the mission, there was a need for medical care and education. The first civil war started in Juba in 2013 and the Korean pastor invited the sisters to Kerepi. It seemed a more stable condition than Juba.
On the 19th March, 2015 two sisters went to Loa near Kerepi. But later on, in this area also people started fighting and one by one they fled to Uganda. So, two sisters followed the people. The sisters started their mission in Adjumani. Luckily, one lady offered a house but nothing inside, totally empty. The sisters naturally became refugees along with other people. At that time, Uganda seemed peaceful and had many vocations. The sisters wanted to start formation in South Sudan but it became impossible, so the sisters visited the Salesians of Don Bosco in Atede, Gulu. They helped them to start the Health Centre and Formation house and later on, the Women Centre too.
The formation in Uganda started in 2019 with two aspirants. These two aspirants went through the four years of formation and on the 2nd February, 2024, they became the first African members of the Caritas Sisters of Jesus.
Caritas Sisters of Jesus are now in 16 countries with more than 900 sisters all over the world.
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