The Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa (CSST), part 1

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, originally from what is Chennai today, who later assumed the name Sister Teresa of St. Rose of Lima, as a Carmelite Tertiary nun.   When she died in 1902, she had less than 15 sisters.  Today, the Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa number 806, with 5 provinces spread across 13 states of India and communities in Canada, Germany, Sudan, Argentina, Kenya, USA, and UAE.  Faithful to the spirit of their foundress, the CSST nuns today are engaged in eliminating ignorance, challenging dehumanization and discrimination especially against women and children, taking care of orphans and destitute, engaging in prison ministry and bringing health, healing and hope to the poor and deprived.  We came to know about this and much more from the Superior General of the Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa, Sr. Chris, who was recently in Rome.  Today, in the first of a 2 part interview, Sr. Chris begins by telling us how her congregation started.

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