HISTORY

Pakistan is a new nation, created at the time of independence in 1947, to give the Muslims of India a country. It is a Muslim country not only because 98% of its inhabitants are Muslims, but above all because Islam is its reason for being and it is by laws and system of the Islamic Government. Christians constitute up to 1% of the population. In 1947, when Pakistan was formed, the Missionaries found themselves in front of critical times. Two chief aims were established for them.

1: To create a local Church, in truth small, but strong, vital and as much as possible auto sufficient, which would become a concrete Christian witness among Muslim brothers.

2: To initiate and carry on a dialogue, even if being indirect, with the Muslims in the schools, hospitals, dispensaries and other social and mercy works.

The majority of Muslims appreciate the work of human promotion carried out by the Catholics and the Christians appreciated the work of the missionaries.
Our Foundress, Mother Margherita's De Brincat, fervour to live the Gospel and to proclaim it in various ways came to its fulfilment when the first five sisters arrived in Pakistan from Malta on 9th February 1953. Mr. Drago Herman welcomed the pioneer sisters on their arrival and within a short time they manage opens a school in Mirpurkhas. Seventy students were enrolled during the first few weeks and as time went by the sisters together with the school staff worked hard to provide the best education for the children. Today the school has flourished into a high school with a student population of about 1500.

In time the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus' presence in Pakistan was recognised both by the Church authority and the local government. The people appreciated the dedication of the sisters and during the past fifty years they gave them full support in the many endeavours carried out for the benefit of all.
At present the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus' mission in Pakistan is flourishing. There are fourteen communities, run mainly by native sisters, serving the Church in the health sector, orphanages, boarding-schools, pastoral animation and Formation centres. In all the work carried out they opt to give first preference to the needy and disadvantaged. As for the future we hope and pray that in collaboration with the local communities, we can come up with an action plan to reach out to as many people and help them see the good in them and use their talents for the benefit of all.

St. Francis Province
December 8, 2001, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was a memorable day for the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus in Pakistan. The General Council had established their Region to become a Province. The new province was named after St Francis and consisted of sixty-two Sisters allocated in fourteen communities spread throughout the whole country. This decision boosted out our morale and helped us to widen our horizon. While not forgetting the immensity and urgency of our apostolate in Pakistan, we were responsive to the needs of the Church at large when we send the first four Pakistani sisters to open a community in the Philippines. Other sisters were sending to Malta, Corfu, and Italy.
To live as consecrated people is a daily challenge, but we gladly accepted this challenge as we put our trust in the Lord and joyfully go out to the people He would like us to minister to.