Welcome to our province ...
Rooted in the spirit of our founder, Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey, the province of North-East India/Nepal joyfully embraces the Cluny charism. The province is marked by great cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity. Our sisters serve wholeheartedly in a variety of environments (rural and urban). They are dedicated to a missionof education, compassion and service that transforms.
From mist-covered hills to bustling cities, from tea plantations to remote mountain villages, our presence seeks to bring hope where there is hardship, love where there is neglect and light where there is darkness. We live the Gospel through action, companionship and an enduring witness to the compassionate love of Christ.
Established as a Province in 1977, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny from North-East India/Nepal dedicate themselves to a life of prayer, community life and mission.
Our history in this region began in Kalimpong, which was originally part of a larger missionary territory entrusted to the Fathers of the Foreign Missions of Paris (M.E.P.). In 1892, Father Jules Douenel, M.E.P., planned to establish a Catholic mission in this region. In 1920, he met with Mother Ursula, Superior of the Sisters of Cluny in Chandannagar, Calcutta, to explore the possibility of setting up a holiday home that could become a centre for education and apostolic mission. On July 23, 1920,the local district official granted the sisters a 1.85 acre (7486.68m2) plot of land now home to Saint Joseph convent. A pivotal visit in October 1922 of Mother Ursula and Mother Marie Sainte Madelberthe of the Sacred Heart,Provincial of Pondicherry, confirmed the region's potential for spiritual and educational development.
The first sisters of Cluny - Mother Clare, Sister Marie Thérèse, Sister Theresa, Sister Edmond, accompanied by Mother Ursula and Sister Anne, two lay teachers and three children in their care - finally arrived on May 26, 1926 and laid the foundations for Cluny's mission in the region.
North-East India (Kalimpong)
28 communities
139 sisters
founded in 1977
Nepal
6 communities
23 sisters
founded in 1989
Let's share love and hope with our world ...
Inspired by the charism of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey, we are dedicated to promoting human dignity, social justice, education and compassionate care.
In a region challenged by poverty, social exclusion, limited access to education and a fragile ecosystem, we respond with hope-filled service and Gospel-centred action. Our communities accompany those in need through their presence, prayer and commitment.
Today ...
Our apostolic life is expressed through the following ministries:
Education: we believe in the transformative power of education and seek to shape minds and hearts for a just and compassionate society.
- Primary schools - 13
- Secondary Schools - 3
- High Secondary schools - 6
- St. Mary's School for the Hearing Impaired - 1
- Cluny Community School - 1
- Cluny Women's College - 1
Social Outreach: we work alongside vulnerable groups to promote justice, dignity and human rights.
- Safeguarding children and women in the Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Alipurduar districts
- Rehabilitation centre for Child Labourers
- Child Welfare Commission
- Education and counselling for inmates at the Kalimpong and Siliguri correctional centres
- Environmental initiatives
Health Care: Following Christ the healer, we bring essential health services to underserved areas.
- Dispensaries in 6 villages
- Appointment of a Sister Doctor as a Specialist (medicine) in the Department of Health and Family Welfare (DH & FWS) in Kalimpong.
- Promoting community health and hygiene.
- Palliative care.
Pastoral Ministries: in collaboration with the local church, we nurture faith, values and community development among all age groups.
- Holy Childhood Commission - Secretary & Animator
- Basic Ecclesial Community (CEB) - Secretary
- Diocesan Lady Youth Animator
- Liturgical Commission - Member
- Diocesan Ecological Commission - Secretary
- Cluny Counseling and Prayer Centre
Agriculture: we promote ecological awareness and sustainable farming through hands-on models of rural livelihood.
- Pudung Farm and Factory - A centre for eco-conscious productivity and food security
- Organic farming in Shepkhola
Collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organisations
- Department of Health and Family Welfare (DH & FWS) - Kalimpong
- Department of Women, Children development and Social Welfare (CWC) - West Bengal
- Government-accredited Social Health Activities (ASHA) training centre in Kalimpong
- Executive Director of Caritas Nepal
- Diocese of Darjeeling in Pastoral care and teaching ministry.
OUR PRIORITIES TODAY
- Quality education : provide inclusive, value-based education from primary to higher education.
- Social Outreach : Empowering the marginalised through initiatives that promote child welfare, women's development and justice.
- Pastoral care and faith formation : Nurturing spiritual life and community through pastoral, youth and family ministries.
- Health and sustainable livelihoods : provide basic healthcare and promote environmentally-friendly rural development.
- A mission of collaboration and compassion : work in partnership with the Church, civil society and local communities to serve with love and hope.
Missionary disciples ... to this call from God, we respond with total availability, ready to leave our country to go where God calls us to serve our brothers and sisters.