Twenty-five years promoting God’s kingdom

The Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus Pearland community are (top from left to right) Sisters Patience Asu, Eucharia Aseme, Christina Doggu, (bottom from left to right) Immaculata Chukwunyere, Caroline Onycoziri, and Leonie-Martha Okaraga. (Photo courtesy of The Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus)

HOUSTON — The Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus marks 25 years in the Archdiocese. The congregation was founded in Nigeria in 1931 by Sister Mary Charles Magdalen Walker, RSC (Servant of God), who came to Nigeria in 1923 at the invitation of Bishop Joseph Shanahan, CSSp. She served in Nigeria in evangelization, medical, social and pastoral works with a special focus on women and children.

They are an international pontifical religious congregation dedicated to Christian services. These include education, healthcare, primary evangelization through catechesis, social work, and pastoral care of the sick and the homebound. They participate actively in the care of migrants and refugees; their charism is an all-embracing charity.

The congregation came to the Archdiocese in 1998 at the invitation of Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza. They live a life of prayer in community, which enables them to bring God’s light, love and joy to the people they encounter.

The congregation has served at St. Dominic Village, Queen of Peace Catholic School, St. Christopher Catholic School, Holy Rosary School and O’Connell High School. Presently, they serve at Holy Family Parish and School in Galveston. The sisters minister to the sick in healthcare in nursing and pharmacy. As pastoral agents, they work in various areas of ministry in the parishes of Sacred Heart of Jesus in Manvel, St. Francis Xavier, St. Christopher, St. Philip Neri, St. Justin Martyr, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Theresa in Sugar Land.

Besides their four convents in the Archdiocese, they serve in St. Petersburg, Florida, and the Archdiocese of Washington.