Als Antwort Auf Gottes Ruf

As part of our ongoing observance of the 200th birthday of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt, we continue to post excerpts of Als Antwort auf Gottes Ruf (Bonifatius, 2016), the history of the Sisters of Christian Charity since 1881, by Sister Anna Schwanz, SCC, translated by Sister Mary Perpetua Rehle, SCC.

New Foundation in the Philippines

Our mission in the Philippines, which began in 1995, was a foundation made on the Congregational level, staffed by an international community and responsible to the Generalate as a delegation.  The main activity is the apostolate for the blind, for which Cardinal Sin from Manila had invited our Congregation in 1992.  This was given serious thought and despite the shortage of Sisters, the decision was made to accept this work.  Many people in this eastern Asiatic country live in great poverty, but the blind and the sight-impaired, the largest percentage worldwide, especially need help.  Leadership saw this as a special call to our Congregation.  After traveling to the Philippines to assess the situation, Mother Gregoris Michels concluded that "a rich and multifaceted missionary activity for the education of the blind" was opening up for us.  She continued, "Again and again I am reminded of the time 150 years ago when Mother Pauline began to care for the blind.  There is a similarity between the conditions in Westfalen at her time and those in the Philippines today."  After much deliberation and prayer, the decision was reached to accept the new foundation.  By the end of 1994 the negotiations and preparations were so far that three Sisters, two from the North American Eastern Province and one from the German Province, were able to leave after a preparatory period in Paderborn and Rome.  This new beginning in hope and trust was at the same time a departure and a risk. 

The date of foundation is the date when the Sisters landed in the Philippines, January 25, 1995.  They received their first orientation from the Benedictine Sisters from Tutzing, who had been in the Philippines for some time.  On February 4, 1995 they moved into their small house in Quezon City, a suburb of Manila.  That same evening one of the priests came from the parish, celebrated the first Holy Mass in the small chapel and reserved the Blessed Sacrament.  This was in keeping with Mother Pauline's desires, because it was very important to her that the Sisters were not without the Blessed Sacrament.  The first weeks in Manila were "spent making contacts with other Congregations, with authorities and groups in the parish and areas of service."  This was especially important because this small group formed the first and only convent we had on the Asian Continent.  Instructions in Tagalog, the language of the country, were also part of their immersion.  Since work with the blind was to be their main apostolate, the Sisters worked in a rehabilitation facility for blind youth and young adults as well as in a Center for the handicapped.  Soon they realized the dangers to which blind women were exposed in their surroundings.  To offer them a secure place to stay and support, without curtailing their independence, the Sisters used donations to purchase a small row house for six to eight women next to their house.  This home, named after Margaretha Feichtler, for whose acceptance in the School for the Blind in Paderborn Mother Pauline had taken personal responsibility, was the seed of the later Margaretha Home for the Blind (MHB).  By February 1997, a small residence for 10 women and girls was supported by donations.