Today, 16 November, the Church celebrates the Jubilee of the Poor, a moment that invites us to pause, to open our hearts, and to look with renewed compassion upon those who carry the weight of suffering in our world. For Sisters Hospitallers, this celebration speaks directly to the essence of our vocation. It draws us back to the mission entrusted to us by our three Founders: St Benedict Menni, María Josefa Recio, and María Angustias Giménez.
From the very beginning of the Congregation, the poor were not viewed as distant recipients of charity, but as companions on the journey. Our Founders recognised that the deepest wounds are often invisible, and that healing requires far more than medical knowledge, it requires presence, tenderness, and shared humanity.
St Benedict Menni brought with him a visionary courage, shaped by the suffering he witnessed. His dream was not simply to create institutions, but to build places where each person, especially the most vulnerable, could rediscover their worth.
Beside him, María Josefa Recio offered a deeply compassionate understanding of those living with mental illness. Her sensitivity helped forge a new way of caring that honoured each person’s story with gentleness and respect.
And together with them, María Angustias Giménez embodied the quiet heroism of everyday love, small, steady gestures that gave comfort, dignity, and hope to those who felt forgotten.
These three hearts shaped a single mission:
Hospitality as a home where every person is valued, welcomed, and accompanied.
On this Jubilee of the Poor, we are invited to recognise poverty in all its forms. It may appear as mental illness, isolation, physical fragility, emotional wounds, or the silent suffering of those who feel unseen. Today, we are called to open our eyes to the people around us who carry these burdens quietly.
As Sisters Hospitallers, we respond not only with professional dedication, but with the heartfelt presence that flows from our charism. Our mission is to draw close, to listen without judgement, and to accompany with humility and love, just as our Founders taught us.
On this 16 November, we reaffirm our commitment to:
Protect the dignity of every person, especially where it is most fragile.
Offer spaces of authentic welcome, where no one feels alone or misunderstood.
Accompany those who suffer, not only through care, but through genuine presence and compassion.
Build communities of hospitality, inspired by the lives and example of our Founders.
The Jubilee reminds us that compassion is transformative. When we stand beside those who suffer, we allow love to heal, to restore, and to lift up. This is the legacy St Benedict Menni, María Josefa, and María Angustias entrusted to us, a legacy we seek to embody each day.
Today’s celebration of the Jubilee of the Poor invites us to live our mission with renewed courage and tenderness. Guided by the vision of our Founders, we continue to build a world where the poorest are not only served, but truly accompanied; where each person, regardless of their circumstances, is welcomed as a brother or sister.
May this day inspire us to keep alive the spirit of hospitality that lies at the heart of our Congregation:
a place where hope is rekindled, dignity is restored, and love is offered freely to all.