- Who We Are
Poor Servant of Divine Providence Sisters, (PSDP Sisters), is a catholic Religious Congregation of Pontifical Rite (belonging to the Calabrian Family), founded by St. J. Calabria on 1910.
- Our Founder
St. J. Calabria was born in Verona (Italy) on October 8, 1973, in a very poor family. He was consecrated priest, after very hard difficulties who was able to overcome through a great faith in the Providence, on August 11, 1901. In November 26, 1907, he started the”Good boys Home”, (Casa Buoni Fanciulli), giving a concrete answer to the problem of the poor and abandoned children. The following year it moved definitively to S. Zeno in Monte, considered today the Mother House of the Opera. The service of the poor children was lived in the most absolute poverty totally trusting in the Divine Providence. The Lord sent Him lay people wishing to offer their lives to God. Thus was born the Congregation of the Poor Servant of the Divine Providence, composed of Priests, Brothers, and after few years (1910) also of Sisters and Lay people (Calabrian Family) with the specific mission to live and restore in the world faith in God the Father, dedicating themselves to the neediest and marginalized people, in order to show that God cares for His creatures. He prayed, wrote suffered and made himself animator of many courageous projects for a transparent return to the Gospel and for the unity of Christians. After 1950 he spent his life in great sufferings, for the Church and for the souls. Fr. Calabria died on December 4, 1954, and was beatified by J. Paul II in Verona, on April 17, 1988 and canonized by the same Pope in St. Peter Square, Rome, on April 18, 1999.
- BRIEF HISTORY
“The Opera Of The Sisters Has Made By The Lord”
The first community of sisters who shared with Fr. Calabria the love for the poor and abandoned children started in 1910. St. J. Calabria in the beginning asked the help of the Sisters of Mercy, They were 4 Sisters who settled in the “Smallest House of Nazareth“, very close to San Zeno in Monte, to deal especially lingerie of the children that were so many and also of the Brothers. But after few months, as the Bishop Bacilieri was not agree to leave these Sisters there, so they were soon withdrawn. The same St. John Calabria later told the Sisters that this beginning was not his project, but a plan of the Lord. Thus he wrote: «It was the Lord, without my previous reflection, who pushed me, or better, he sweetly forced me through various circumstances, to welcome pious women who were available to collaborate with the Brothers in the tasks more suitable for women, for the benefit of poor abandoned creatures, gathered under the pavilions of the Divine Providence».[1]
Then Fr. Calabria asked to some woman, whom he followedspirituallyandmanifestedthe desire toconsecrate themselves to God to join in His new Religious Family. He hadsensed thatthere was an absolutely needof female figures, not onlyfor a manual service, but fora maternal presencewithchildrenand for the Brothers.
Meanwhile, the Providence was laying in the soul of a good woman, Angelina De Battisti (49 years), who desired to consecrate herself to the House. Then, Lavinia Perez, Adele Carli, Maria Galbusera, and gradually many others.
The first women were of a certain age, education and location: They left everything in order to serve the Good Children, in total poverty and hidden from the world. These first Sisters in 1912, emitting the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, in addition of the vow of “abandonment”.
They were available to everything, in the hands of the Heavenly Father. They pass through many uncertainties and suffering, but God’s plan was manifested and the same Fr. Calabria expressed the idea that the Sisters come together into an Institution of its own, which will first approval in 1952.
Our spirituality is the same of the Poor Servants Brothers and we see in the Casante ( Superior General of the Calabrian Family) our guardian and guarantor. For us Sisters will never miss the relationship and collaboration with Poor Servants Brothers, with a presence also in their homes, always at the service of the poor and needy. With them and the various associations of lay people we form one family of the Opera.
- OUR CHARISM
A passage from the gospel of St. Mathew is the core of the Charism of Fr. John`s Opera: ” Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mathew 6:33) hence, Paternity of God, Abandonment to the Divine Providence and Spirit of Family become major aspects of our charism.
“In this Opera it is God who does it all!“… and all that you make should show this”.
It is possible to live in a total surrender to the Father, without anxieties and concerns, even when there are serious reasons to be concerned, because we know that God is the best of all fathers, who will never miss anything necessary to his children. “God is our Father, a good Father, the best Father you can imagine!”
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice, and all these other things will be given you as well.
Sisters, Brothers and Lay people, each one according with its own style of life, we are called to live the Gospel in its wholeness, “without adding“, without deformation or arrangements.
Another salient feature of the charism of the Poor Servants is the preferential option for the poorest, the sick and the less fortunate, because they are “God`s chosen ones”. “We must seek souls, abandoned creatures, outcast, despised, old, sick, sinners; these are the treasures, the gems of the Opera, the key that opens the Heaven, and so it will be better manifested Divine Providence.”
After opening various houses in Italy, in 1971, during a special Chapter, the Sisters decided to offer to the Congregation a missionary perspective, “because all the world belong to God”. So that, with great courage and sacrifice, were chosen the first 4 Sisters for sending to a mission in Brazil (South America), on May 14th 1974.
After that in August 19th 1986, was opened the first Mission in Angola – Africa; in November 8th 1996, was opened the first in India: St. Therese of the Divine Jesus, at Butibori, Padri Thana, Nagpur; in October 16th 2004 in Romania and in June 9th 2011 in Philippines .
- OUR HOUSE AND ACTIVITIES
MOTHER OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE BHAWAN: Fetri – Katol Road- Nagpur 441501-MS-: Formation House and toution for poor children.
SHANTI NIKETAN HOSTEL: Ring Road Jaripatha Plot, 187 Nagpur: Activity Pre-School, tution for poor children and Pastoral work in the Parrish.
THERESE OF THE DIVINE CHILD: Padri Thana P.O. Butibori -MS- : Pastoral work in the Parrish, Collaboration with the Brothers in educational field, Hostel.
GALBUSERA HOME, Harohalli Road Huskur, BANGALORE: Tution for poor girls, vocational promotion.
ASSAM, Parish Hahim, Activity pastoral work with our Brothers.