Birth of the Congregation

Birth of the Congregation. It was at this juncture, Libania confided to Fr. Beirao, her inner desire, to love and serve God, in His people, specially the sick and poor. Since religious formation was forbidden in Portugal, Fr. Beirao, arranged in the Convent of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, of the Franciscan Sisters of Calais, France, where Sr. Maria Clara and her 3 companions had their Novitiate formation. After the rigorous formation, Sister Maria Clara made her Profession on the 14th April 1871 and returned to Lisbon on the 1st of May of the same year. It was on the 3rd of May 1871, when Fr.Beirao read the Letter of Obedience and declared Sr.Maria Clara to the Local Superior and the Mistress of Novices that the Congregation of the Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception was truly born. Like Fr. Beirao, Mother Clara, filled with the love of God, was untiring in her mission; to attend to the poor, care for children, look after orphans, shelter the aged, treat the sick, diminish needs… The Chronicler affirms: “She had a heart that was all tenderness and goodness, all compassion to sympathize with the weakness and misery of another, all charity to help. One could say her heart was in touch with the heart of Christ.” She did not even think of the causes of why so many innocent children were orphans. She did not question the egoism, exploitation or overwhelming injustice. She had but one objective: to welcome, teach, direct, give bread, love, dignity. The imagination, spurred by her goodwill and generosity created the space she wanted to offer the homeless. This new way of life kept attracting other followers. After some resistance from those in Authority, and many difficulties and sacrifices, on 22nd May, 1874, the Congregation was approved by the Portuguese Government. The Holy See also conceded its recognition through a Decree of Pope Pius IX, on 27th March, 1876. The same document nominated Sister Maria Clara, as Superior General of the Congregation. On the 3rd May, 1876, at a solemn ceremony, presided over by Fr. Beirao, Sister Maria Clara took charge of the office of the Superior General. From that moment, the sisters considered her as their Foundress and began calling her by the endearing name of “Mother”. To the newly founded and rapidly growing Congregation, Fr.Beirao was the guardian, defender and father of all the sisters . He was ready for any work or sacrifice to improve the economic situation of the community. Beginnings are always difficult; yet his trust in the Divine Providence and hard work was the great support to Mother Clara, to materially sustain a big religious family that had to face many obstacles from the Government as well as from the rich and the powerful. He not only looked after their material but also their spiritual needs. After two years of the fulfillment of founding a Portuguese Religious Congregation, exhausted by the hard work and sickness, Fr. Beirao died peacefully, on 13th July,1878. Mother Clara, who was barely 35 years old, had to shoulder the responsibility of leading a Congregation at a time in history, when women were considered to be 2nd class citizens, who were to be submissive to the orders of men. The government as well as other officials were not very encouraging. With her total trust in the Lord, and her conviction that “The Providential glance of God watches over us !” Mother Clara was able to nurture the Congregation which reached out to the thousands of poor and needy and which continues to do so in different parts of the world even today. As a soul open to all challenges, Mother Clara was ready for any sacrifice to respond to the calls of Evangelization. Angola received the first Missionaries, sent by Mother Clara, in February, 1883. The Missionaries to India, arrived on 24th May, 1886, in Goa. The sacrifices of the time cannot be explained. Yet, in the midst of all that was happening, such was their spirit of charity, the union among the sisters that, not even for a moment did they lose their joy of courage. According to the example of their Founders, they too place themselves I total availability to help all those who suffer. God raised Fr.Beirao, as another Vincent de Paul, to be “for Portugal, what Vincent was for France “.