Sister M. Joseph Michael (68) is the new superior of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, Global Sisters Report has confirmed. The order appointed the former secretary during a weekend prayer retreat. Her predecessor, Sr. Prema Perick, had stepped down for health reasons after a 13-year tenure.
Sr. Joseph, the first Indian woman to take on the mantle, is now the third nun to lead the sisters, universally known for their devotion to the poorest in society. Originally from Thissur in Kerala, she joined the Missionaries of Charity at the age of 20 and was one of Mother Teresa’s closest collaborators. She also ministered in the Philippines, Poland, and Papua New Guinea. Currently, she is superior of the Missionaries of Charity for the Indian state of Kerala. Until 15 months ago, she was the Assistant General beside Perick.
The prayer retreat—which also elected the general council that will assist Sr. Joseph—was attended by representatives of all the communities of the order, now present in 110 countries around the world. Fellow Sister John Mariette commented to Asianews, which is promoted by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, that “God will use all her [Sr. Joseph’s] talents and qualities to bring good to society according to His plans.”
The announcement of Sr. Perick’s departure came shortly after the Indian government made it known late December it would not authorize the Missionaries of Charity to receive donations from abroad. The organization no longer met the requirements of the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) license, which is mandatory for receiving and utilizing foreign funds. Subsequently, the Missionaries of Charity’s bank accounts were temporarily frozen. The government also cited “adverse inputs.” These are believed to refer to a complaint against the director of a children’s home, run by the Missionaries of Charity, for allegedly attempting to convert young girls. This the Missionaries of Charity denies, as their founding text states they “do not impose their Catholic faith on anyone.” In early January, the license was renewed. The charity had submitted “certain documents,” an anonymous source familiar with the matter, said.
Some see the government’s initial prohibition as political, and further proof of Christian harassment under a Hindu government. In 2019, human rights organisation Amnesty International, voiced concerns about the increase in discrimination and violence against religious minorities since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. It views the FCRA “as a political tool to harass groups critical of government views and actions,” and deems it to “fall short of international standards and enables violations of the rights to freedom of association and expression.” In 2020, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom listed India as a “country of particular concern” for the first time since 2004. Modi’s government denies being motivated by “Hindutva,” the political ideology that preaches Hindu nationalism, and insists all religions have equal rights.
The Missionaries of Charity was first established in 1950 by Mother Teresa, who dedicated her life to helping the poor of Calcutta. For her efforts, she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Thirty-seven years after her death in 1997, she was canonized as Saint Teresa of Calcutta by the Catholic Church. Currently, her order numbers over 5,000 religious sisters worldwide.
