The Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa (CSST), part 2

The Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa (CSST) is a religious congregation that has its headquarters or generalate in southern India’s Bangalore city.  It was founded in 1887 in Ernakulam, in what is Kerala state today, by Sr. Teresa of  St. Rose of Lima.  We came to know more about the Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa from their Superior General, Sr. Chris, who was in Rome recently.  Last week, in the first of a 2-part interview, Sr. Chris described the beginnings of her congregation which took various names over the years and decades until its present name, the Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa (CSST) in 1976.   The initial thrust of Sr. Teresa was education of girls, but she also answered to the need of the times and provided for girls through industrial schools, cared for orphans, unwed mothers and  the elderly.  When Sr. Teresa died her members were less than 15.  Today, the Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa number 806 spread across ‎5 provinces comprising 13 States of India, and with communities in Canada, Germany, Sudan, Argentina, Kenya, USA, and the UAE.  Sr. Chris also spoke about their charism which is contemplation in action at the service of the Church, expressing God’s compassionate and unconditional love for man.  She admitted that for some time her congregation had misinterpreted their foundress’ charism and concentrated primarily on education, but later rediscovered her true charism.  Today the CSST nuns are in social apostolate, healthcare services, care for the aged, school dropouts, HIV/AIDS victims and empowering the poor.

Well, today, in the final part of this interview Sr. Chris starts by telling us about how the CSST is organized.

Listen: