Missionaries of Charity head meets Wellington Archbishop

Sr Mary Joseph MC was visiting the community of sisters who live in Porirua. A post on the Archdiocese of Wellington’s Facebook page stated that the “Archdiocese is very grateful for the work and presence of the Sisters in the Archdiocese and is delighted to have Sr Joseph visit”.

A former secretary for St Teresa, Sr Joseph was elected superior general of the Missionaries of Charity in 2022. She was reportedly the first Indian to hold this office.

After her election, Sr Joseph told the Global Sisters Report that her congregation would continue its original mission of serving the poorest of the poor despite numerous hurdles.

Asked about her priorities, Sr Joseph said, “My one single priority is to pray. Prayer is essential for us in the Missionaries of Charity. I learned the art of deep prayer from Mother Teresa. When she prayed, she was deeply united with Jesus on the cross – whether at daily Mass or adoration before the Blessed Sacrament”.

“Mother’s simple prayer has always inspired me: ’The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace’.

“Growing in the life of prayer will help me and other sisters to take up the works of charity in given circumstances and context. Our life should reflect the life of the poor, the rejected and the dejected. That is our only priority.”

Sr Joseph said she worked very closely with St Teresa as her secretary for several years.

“I was very close to Mother during those years. I learned some of the nitty-gritty of her ways. Her simplicity, total integrity, honesty and her constant love for the poor, the most rejected and the marginalised I learned from Mother.”

FULL STORY

VISIT OF THE SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE… (Archdiocese of Wellington/Facebook)

Q & A with Sister Mary Joseph, new superior general of the Missionaries of Charity (Global Sisters Report)