FOUNDER :
St. Arnold Jansen is the Founder of three Congregations: the Divine World Missionaries, a congregation of priests and brothers; the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit and the contemplative order of the Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration.
Fr. Arnold was a Diosesan priest born in Germany in 1837. His zeal for the propagation of God’s Word and his experienced love of God led him to strive for the foundation of a missionary house. Owing to the kulturkamph that was dominating Germany in the second halve of the 19th century Fr. Arnold Jansen stepped over the border and open a missionary house in the Nederland, the Society of the Divine World Missionaries in 1875. Then, seen the need of the pastoral activity of women in places where men could not reach, he founded in 1889 the female missionary congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit. As the work of evangelization was great and of time consuming he decided to found a new congregation of women who would pray for the missionary work of the priest, brothers and sisters, so with this motivation, in 1894 he opened a new house for the Holy Spirit Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
CO-FOUNDRESSES :
Bl. Maria, Helena Stollenwerk:
Born on the 28th November 1852, M. Maria, though had a tough live, always dreamed with being an instrument of God in reaching out to those who has not yet heard the message of Jesus. This desire led her to St. Arnold who, after many waiting years, made her a co-founder of the missionary congregation Servants of the Holy Spirit. As her deepest longing was to always fulfil God’s will, she was invited to be a member of the third Congregation founded by St. Arnold: Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration. Died on the 3rd of February 1900 and was Beatified on the 7th of May 1995.
M. Josepha, Hendrina Stenmans : Born on the 28th of May 1852 in Issum, Germany. At the age of 32 went to Steyl in order to be of a help in the mission activity of the Church. Her love and trust in the Holy Spirit, her constant prayer, simplicity and sacrifice made her a holy woman and a co-founder together with M. Maria. She died on the 20th of May 1903 and is being Beatified on the 29th of June 2008.
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