How the Congregation came About
The Mission Congregation of the Sisters servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), is a religious missionary congregation, founded by St Arnold Janssen, SVD in Steyl in Netherlands. We are a Religious Missionary Community of Women Disciples in an international Congregation, called to share in the universal mission of God in Jesus, in the dynamism of the Holy Spirit. The spirituality and charism springs forth from our founder’s Motto: “May the Holy Triune God live in our hearts and in the hearts of all peoples.
Mission is the origin and purpose of our Congregation. We express our missionary spirituality in today’s context as SSpS The congregation is dedicated to spreading the Good through the different services rendered in the field of education, social work, health, pastoral ministry, media and social communications.
THE ORIGIN
During the second half of the 19th century, there was a vigorous rebirth of mission consciousness in Europe. This new mission awareness was intimately entwined with the task Europe had assumed at that time, of being the torch bearer of human culture and faith.
Arnoldo Janssen
FOUNDER
“A man of vibrant faith and missionary zeal”
St Arnold Janssen was born in Goch in the German Lower Rhineland on November 5, 1837. His parents were simple folks whose religiosity was influenced.
Helena Stollenwerk
CO-FOUNDRESS
“Unconditional surrender to God’s will”
“To God the honor, to my Sisters the benefit and to myself the burden”, writes Helena Stollenwerk in her notes; “This is to be my motto and also my earnest goal.”
Hendrina Stenmanns
CO-FOUNDRESS
“Both feet on the ground, heart anchored in God!”
Every breath of a Servant of the Holy Spirit is to be –“Veni Sancte Spiritus”. Hendrina Stenmanns, whose longing is to
SOCIETY OF THE DIVINE WORD (SVD)
On 8th September 1875 he laid the foundations for the “Society of the Divine Word” in Steyl, near the town of Venlo, a society of priests and brothers dedicated to spreading the faith. His mottos was: “ “May the holy triune God live in our hearts and in the hearts of all people!”
Although initially beset by great difficulties, the work grew rapidly. The foundations of a large mission house were laid, he opened an apostolic school to educate prospective missionaries in his spirit, and he established his own printing press to serve the developing apostolate of the press. The modest beginning developed into a religious institute that included priests and lay brothers. In 1879, the first missionaries were already sent to China. That was the beginning of annual mission departures to countries in all continents.