As of May 15, 2001, we are 1006 sisters in 14 countries throughout the world.

Brazilian Province
133 sisters, living mainly along the coast of Brazil or inland around Belo Horizonte where the Provincial House is located.. There are great distances between areas where our sisters are located and travel is mainly by bus.

Eastern American Province
224 sisters on two continents in four countries (United States, England, France, and Italy). This requires a lot of travel on the part of the Provincial Council.

Region of Mozambique
28 Sisters, including 21 sisters born in Mozambique and 7 born in Portugal. There are six communities.

Northern European Province
157 Sisters in five countries (England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales), separated by two bodies of water (the English Channel and the Irish Sea), speaking two languages,and using three currencies (English pound, French franc, Irish punt) and after January 2002 two (the pound and the euro).

Portuguese Province
354 sisters, mostly in the center and north of Portugal. 7 of these sisters are in Mali.

Western American Province
83 sisters in two countries, United States and Mexico, with two languages, two cultures, and two currencies.

Zambezi Region
23 sisters, 12 in Zambia and 11 in Zimbabwe

General Level
Because they are serving the Institute, the General Superior and Councillors are not members of an individual province. Instead Catherine, Rosinha, Marianne, and Veronica are counted in a separate category called General Level.

During the past five and a half years, sisters have been missioned across province boundaries, as members of interprovincial communities, to serve at the Generalate, and to help respond to needs in other provinces.

Countries of Birth

 

Portugal	380
Ireland	230
USA	160
Brazil	130
Mozambique	23
England	20
Colombia	20
France	19
Mexico	12

Italy	4
Zambia	4
Scotland	4
Spain	2
Canada	1
Capa Verde	2
El Salvador	1
India	1
Zimbabwe	1

Initial Formation

Temporary Professed 19 : Brazilian Province 3; Northern European 1; Portuguese 3; Region of Mozambique 8; Zambezi 4

Novices 9: Brazilian 2; Eastern American 2; Portuguese 1; Western 1; Region of Mozambique 1; Zambezi 2

Pre-Novices 10: Brazilian 3; Portuguese 2; Western American 1; Region of Mozambique 2; Zambezi 2

Since the last General Chapter in 1995, 13 sisters made perpetual profession. Brazilian Province: 2; Portuguese 5; Western American 2; Region of Mozambique 5

Median Age

The median age in the Institute is 67.

Brazilian Province median age is 71, with 4 sisters under 40 and 13 over 90
Eastern American Province median age is 69, with no sisters under 40 and 8 over 90
Mozambique median age is 52, with 10 sisters under 40 and none over 75
Northern European Province median age is 69, with no sisters under 40 and 5 over 90
Portuguese Province median age is 65, with 8 sisters under 40 and 4 over 90
Western American Province median age is 68, with 1 sister under 40 and 1 over 90
Zambezi Region median age is 60, with 4 sisters under 30 and none over 80.

Deaths

Since the last General Chapter 135 sisters have died. Brazilian Province 14; Eastern American 33; Northern European 36; Portuguese 39; Western American 11

Conclusion

"One can read into the information about our human resources what one wishes and can draw one's own conclusions. Those perceptions and conclusions can influence our thinking in several ways. The figures can make us rejoice and/or make us sad or discouraged. Since they represent the condition of our human resources they can help; shape our plans for the future. Whatever our reading of the statistics, the figures represent our best resource in the Institute—namely the gift that each individual sister is. We can take comfort and encouragement from the words of our Constitutions 38: