INSTITUTE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY SERVANTS OF THE POOR

                                                              (DULCIAN SISTERS)

             FOUNDED BY SAINT DULCE OF THE POOR ON JANUARY 17, 1984

In the heart of God and in the desires of Saint Dulce of the Poor, the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Servants of the Poor (IFMSP) was born, a dream that came true like a sweet melody on January 17, 1984. With the approval of the Archbishop of Salvador - Bahia, Monseigneur Lucas Moreira Cardinal Neves, its statutes were drawn up with faith and implemented with tenderness in June 1986.

Divine inspiration, combined with fervent prayer, guided the decision to found the Institute, revealing a vision illuminated by a profound encounter with the Holy Spirit. “To live an enlightened pastoral life of health and education in favor of the most needy in society” was the call that resounded in the heart of Saint Dulce, transforming the institution into a beacon of love and service.

The sisters, responding to the divine invitation, chose to love and serve Christ in the faces of the poor, the sick, the abandoned, and those with disabilities. As dedicated spiritual mothers, they found a home at the Saint Anthony Educational Center in Simões Filho, where they cared for and educated the boys taken in by Saint Dulce. By dedicating their lives to these children, the orphanage flourished and became a day school, reflecting the natural evolution of generous love.

Today, the sisters' activities extend to the outskirts and parish ministries, keeping alive the flame of the founder's charism and mission. As living witnesses to the legacy of Saint Dulce of the Poor, the sisters continue to weave, with threads of compassion and dedication, the tapestry of God's loving presence in the lives they touch, without losing sight of the founding charism.

CAPTIONS:

1. Saint Dulce of the Poor, founder of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Servants of the Poor (Dulcian Sisters), and Sister Josefa Dulce, who after Saint Dulce's death was elected Mother General of the Community. She assumed the mission until the day of her final departure on June 1, 2023.
2. Monseigneur Avelar Brandão Vilela, Archbishop of Salvador and Primate of Brazil from 1971 to 1986, visiting the Santo Antônio Educational Center, accompanied by Saint Dulce of the Poor, the Sisters of Mary Servants of the Poor (Dulcian Sisters), and children.
3. Sister Gorette, native of Rio Grande do Norte, learned about Saint Dulce of the Poor through the press. Inspired by her testimony, she left her city and came to Salvador to join the Good Angel in the mission of Loving and Serving.

4. Current group of the Sisters Daughters of Mary Servants of the Poor (Dulcian Sisters) at the Saint Anthony Educational Center, with the presence of Monseigneur Dirceu Medeiros, bishop of the Diocese of Camaçari.

5. The Sisters Daughters of Mary Servants of the Poor (Dulcian Sisters) on mission in Catechesis and Missionary Childhood, in Aracaju-SE.