St. Joseph's Province, Missionaries of Compassion
The Missionaries of Compassion (M.C.) is a Catholic religious institute dedicated to embodying the compassionate ministry of Jesus Christ by serving the most vulnerable members of society. Founded in India in the 21st century, the society represents a dedicated response to the growing need for care, especially for the destitute, the elderly sick, and the abandoned.
The Missionaries of Compassion were founded by Very Rev. Dr. Jose Kaimlett on May 24, 2003, in the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, India, on the Feast of Mary Help of Christians. This congregation was the third of three missionary societies founded by Father Kaimlett, all born from his profound reflection on the needs of the time, particularly the shortage of vocations and the widespread suffering of the poor.
Father Kaimlett, a priest ordained in 1966, had a long and impactful career of ministry, education, and healthcare development in India. Driven by the Gospel words, “the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few,” he first founded the Missionary Society of Heralds of Good News (HGN) in 1984 to promote vocations and train zealous priests. He followed this with the Missionary Society of Sisters of Good News (SGN) in 1990 to address the shortage of women religious.
Finally, drawing inspiration from the Last Judgment discourse (Matthew 25:31-46) and the example of missionaries like Mother Teresa, he established the Missionaries of Compassion. The specific scope of the M.C. is to exercise the compassionate ministry of Christ by caring for those who have no one else to care for them. Their motto reflects this core charism: “Do as I have done” (John 13:15).
Their ministry is centered on works of charity and compassion, focusing on:
Caring for the destitute and orphans.
Assisting the abandoned elderly and those affected by terminal diseases.
Providing support for the houseless.
Since its founding, the M.C. has grown steadily, with priests serving in different dioceses across India, as well as in missions in Africa, Italy, the USA, and Australia. They run various apostolates, including hospitals, orphanages, rehabilitation centres, old age homes, schools, and soup kitchens, all aimed at improving the health, social, economic, and spiritual conditions of the people they serve.
The Missionaries of Compassion expanded their administration to better manage their growing number of members and worldwide missions. The Society is divided into distinct administrative units known as Provinces, which allow for localized governance and effective coordination of their apostolates.
The St. Joseph’s Province is one such province, named after one of the society’s principal patrons, St. Joseph the Worker. While the society’s Generalate House is in Telangana, India, the St. Joseph’s Province operates within its own defined geographical and administrative territory, primarily within India.
Key activities often associated with the province reflect the M.C. charism, such as:
Running educational institutions (like St. Mary’s English Medium School in Antarvedi).
Operating charitable services (like St. Joseph’s Soup Kitchen in Vangayagudem).
Providing homes for the elderly and managing health care facilities.
The formation and growth of the St. Joseph’s Province demonstrate the Missionaries of Compassion’s successful strategy of decentralizing their operations to more effectively reach and serve the “least and the lost” in their local contexts. It stands as a testament to the enduring vision of Father Jose Kaimlett to make the radiant power of the Gospel shine brightly even in the darkest situations of human life.