On Friday, two religious sisters, accompanied by a member of their provincial council, arrived in the United States to begin a new partnership in ministry with the US Province. They are Sr. Leonora, FCh (Marince Sitohang – on the right) and Sr. Susana, FCh (Susana Susmiyarti – left) of the Sisters of St. Francis Charitas (FCh). The FCh Sisters have their roots in the Netherlands. In 1926, their first missionaries, along with an SCJ, arrived in Palembang, Indonesia, where — with the support of the Priests of the Sacred Heart — the community established itself and thrived. Today, the FCh Sisters minister in several dioceses across Indonesia, including Palembang and Lampung, where our SCJs also serve. They are engaged in healthcare, education, and social services, operating hospitals, schools, and homes for the poor, orphans, and the elderly.
After several months of preparation in the ECS program at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, Srs. Leonora and Susana will move to Mississippi to collaborate with province ministries there. They are tentatively scheduled to arrive in Mississippi in December.
“During my last visit to Indonesia, I toured one of their hospitals and saw firsthand their strong dedication to both spiritual and physical healing,” wrote Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ. “The FCh Sisters often remember with gratitude the support of the SCJs during their early years and have shown us hospitality and medical care — free of charge — in return.”
The sisters (including Sr. Vincentia Widyaningshih, FCh, the provincial councilor who accompanied the sisters to the US Province) are pictured above in the SHSST lobby.
