What We Do
In the different countries where the Congregation is established, the Daughters of the Cross always have a special preference for those who are poorest. They serve Christ in the works of general and special education, the care of the sick and the aged, abandoned children, the physically, psychologically and mentally challenged, the socially deprived, local pastoral work and the various needs of the Church. They remain faithful to their original charism, which excludes no work of mercy. (Article 8 of the Cont.)
Daughters of the Cross engage themselves in serving the poor and the needy around them in and through Education, Health Ministry and Socio-Pastoral field.
APOSTOLIC MISSION
EDUCATION:
Pope Francis in Laudato Si #213 reminds us ‘Good education plants seeds when we are young and these continue to bear fruit throughout life.
To educate is always an act of hope that calls for co-participation and transformation of the logic of indifference into a culture of encounter and inclusion. Pope Francis
As FC educators we are called to renew ourselves to shape the future by forming our students to be global citizens, critical thinkers and transformational leaders who safeguard the dignity of every person, deeply sensitive to the many peripheries of our society and to take responsibility to care for Mother Earth.
HEALTH MINISTRY:
“If I ever open a house, I’ll have my sisters to care for the sick.” (Jeanne Haze)
“Caring is the fruit of love and therefore we care for what we love.” Sr. Nurya Martinez-Gayol ACI
“The thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful: it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle.” Pope Francis
Jesus embraced vulnerability and suffering to show us the fullness of God, a God who compassionately reaches out to those in pain and sorrow. Jesus reached out to sick, wounded, and suffering, and those on the peripheries. He touched. He healed. He brought wholeness. He gave life. We the Daughters of the Cross are challenged to follow in his footsteps to bring healing to those broken in body mind and spirit, with empathy and professional skills. May God perform miracles of healing through us in this hurting world.
Our Health Centres are mainly situated in the rural areas. It gives curative, preventive and primitive health care to the physical and mental sick and suffering members and brings health and healing to the local people. The health centre attends to the sick at any hour of the day.Various programmes are being conducted to improve the health situation and make the people around aware of health hazards.
Socio Pastoral:
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly,” Jn, 10: 10
“What does the cry of the poor express, if not their suffering and their solitude, their disappointment and their hope? We can ask ourselves how their plea, which rises to the presence of God, can fail to reach our own ears, or leave us cold and indifferent… We are called to make a serious examination of conscience, to see if we are fully capable of hearing the cry of the poor.” (Pope Francis, 2018)
Jesus made a preferential option for the most vulnerable and poor of his time. We are called to respond to our world suffering from lack of respect for human dignity, injustice, war, violence, poverty and the destruction of the earth. Impelled by the spirit of synodality, we dare to share our lives and resources with our vulnerable sisters and brothers, so that ‘they may have life to the full.’
He calls us anew to move out of our comfort zones, listen and respond to the cry of the poor and to awaken the world to Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC).
Socio Pastoral:
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly,” Jn, 10: 10
“What does the cry of the poor express, if not their suffering and their solitude, their disappointment and their hope? We can ask ourselves how their plea, which rises to the presence of God, can fail to reach our own ears, or leave us cold and indifferent… We are called to make a serious examination of conscience, to see if we are fully capable of hearing the cry of the poor.” (Pope Francis, 2018)
Jesus made a preferential option for the most vulnerable and poor of his time. We are called to respond to our world suffering from lack of respect for human dignity, injustice, war, violence, poverty and the destruction of the earth. Impelled by the spirit of synodality, we dare to share our lives and resources with our vulnerable sisters and brothers, so that ‘they may have life to the full.’
He calls us anew to move out of our comfort zones, listen and respond to the cry of the poor and to awaken the world to Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC).
Collaboration:
The mission of Rourkela Province encompasses three tribal belt area states Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. The apostolic mission of the Province is spread over nine Ecclesiastical Dioceses Rourkela, Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Dumka, Khunti, Simdega, Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Jashpur and Ambikapur. We are collaborating with Jesuits, TOR, SVD and Diocesans in many places of Odisha, Jharkghand and Chhattisgarh. We are involved in schools, boarding, and socio-pastoral work. We are involved in Education, medical, social, pastoral, collaborating with CWS in the slum and other works of mercy. Some of the mission houses, where we work in collaboration with the Jesuit Fathers are situated in the interior surrounded by forests and is difficult to access. They lack proper communication systems and reliable electricity. Illiteracy, poverty, alcoholism, and superstitious belief among the people are very common. Nonetheless, we are ministering to the needs of the people in education, hostel for the children especially the girl child, medical, pastoral, youth, parish and women, keeping in mind the Charism of the Daughters of the Cross.Our apostolate and mission have enriched due to our collaborative ventures but there are several challenges too which needs to be tackled discreetly.
ASSOCIATES OF THE CROSS, ROURKELA PROVINCE
UNITS-3, Total No. of Associates of the Cross: 51
- St. Joseph’s Convent, Hamirpur: 34 (2015)
- Our Lady of Dolorous Convent, Gaibira: 12 (2016)
- Crus Niwas, Phalsa:5 (2024)
The Associates of the Daughters of the Cross are very active with us in different community activities. They shared our Charism by visiting the sick, suffering and house bound and taught in our schools whenever required. They attended regular meetings and recollection arrange for them. They are actively participating in the following activities regularly.
ACTIVITIES:
- Recollection talk, Confession and adoration are organized during Foundation Day, Advent and Lent.
- Prayer is organized once in a month.
- Pilgrimage is organized annually.
- Vows is renewed on the Feast of Exaltation of the Cross.
- Associates of the Cross visits the Sick regularly.
- They visit the villages who calls to settle their issues.
- Helps the poor to go to the police station and get the justice done.
- At the time of death, they go for burial and show solidarity with the family.
- Help the poor financially.
- Regularly catechism class is taken for St. Joseph’s Girls High School, Hamirpur.
Assisting the pastoral sister in the parish.S