Philippines: Franciscan Daughters of St. Elizabeth marks 25 years of health care service for poor people

Franciscan Daughters of St. Elizabeth, FSE, marked 25 years of health care service for the poor in the Philippines, on November 29.

“You are doing good works,” Bishop-Emeritus Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr. of Novaliches lauded the FSE sisters in his homily of thanksgiving mass, “You have reached 25 years of doing good works.”

FSE sisters established an "Emergency health Care" for street children in Kimco Village, Quezon City, Philippines, in 1997 at the request of the late Cardinal Jaime Sin.

Superior General of the Congregation Mother Paola Yucra Solano encouraged the FSE sisters "to continue the journey with the same commitment, love, and dedication to the service of the "little ones of the Gospel" with which we started our presence in this beautiful country, 25 years ago."

Bolivian doctor nun Sr. Paola (Now Mother General), the late sister nurse, Sr. Leonia Chini implemented the "Health and Care" Project with free childbirth for poor women and medical services for the poor.  

A few years later, the FSE sisters opened a small clinic with maternity with the help of benefactors from Italy and the Philippines.

In this maternity clinic with the new medical facilities, hundreds and hundreds of babies were born from poor women living in squatter areas.

FSE sisters could open the "Good Samaritan of the Holy Archangels" Outpatient Clinic on March 3, 2003.

The clinic provided the poor with health care examination freely and treated when necessary, taken to the Hospital with an ambulance donated by the Diocese of Florence in Italy. 

The Outpatient Clinic has always taken care of hospital expenses, just like the Good Samaritan of evangelical memory. 

The "Good Samaritan" clinic welcomes the poor of all races and religions. It supports needy families with food and necessities with the generosity of a Florentine Priest and his friends.

On the 25th existing anniversary in the Philippines, FSE sisters are grateful to God on behalf of the poor and commit to joyfully serving the marginalized in the future with dedication and service.

In 2005, with the help of the Claretian Fathers of Manila, the FSE sisters started the International Formation Center.

The International Formation Center in Manila formed many young sisters for the mission in Asia and the congregation's other missionary activities in Italy, the Holy Land, and Latin America.

Francesca Casci established the congregation in Casalino, a small village in the Diocese of Fiesole, Italy, in 1888.

The members of the congregations follow the Franciscan way of life by living in contemplation, service, and caring for the needy, orphaned, abandoned children, and young and sick people.

Their charism is a life totally consecrated to God and humble service to the needy and abandoned people.

The congregation is present in many dioceses in Bolivia, India, Italy, Indonesia, Israel, the Philippines, and Vietnam.   - Patrick Soe Htun