God is great in all his works, but he shows himself great and magnificent above all in his favorite works which are a splendid reflection of his divine beauty.
The Congregation of the “Missionaries of St. Anthony Mary Claret” was founded on March 19, 1958, in the city and Diocese of Londrina, State of Paraná – Brazil. The Most Excellent and Rev. Mons. Geraldo Fernandes, was the instrument raised up by God for the realization of this work of the Lord, together with Mother Leonia Milito.
Just as all the divine works that arose in the Church of Christ, in order to be useful to humanity and pleasing to God, must pass through suffering, so too this Congregation, before its existence, passed through the crucible of trial and purification in the person of the first members who, by the will of God, were to give it life.
God always be praised! His Excellency and Most Reverend Mons. Geraldo began the foundation with 23 sisters, belonging to an Italian Congregation which had been established in Brazil since 1952.
On July 30, 1957, the Reverend Mother Leonia Milito and two other nuns left S. Paolo for Londrina, who were paternally welcomed by Mons. Geraldo in the Episcopal Palace, and he himself wanted to accompany them to the small house. located in the Asilo Vicentino of the city, which shortly after would become the cradle of the new Congregation of the “Missionary Sisters of St. Anthony Mary Claret”.
The new family, humble in its birth, possessed within itself the seed of divine blessing, a source of energy and surprising vitality.
Due to the flourishing of vocations, which allowed a rapid expansion, the Congregation, today we can see its apostolic and social work extended, in its most varied forms, on the five continents.
The rapid expansion and the growing needs of the mission opted the Founders to create Provinces in the Congregation in 978, being: four in Brazil: one in Africa and another in Europe, Asia and Australia.
Driven by her universal missionary charism, the Congregation continues to go out to meet the brothers and sisters who need her presence, her help and her comfort. Therefore, he is not afraid to cross the seas and mountains once again and arrive on the fourth continent to be the presence and witness of the Father’s love, tenderness and mercy together with his poor, elderly and needy brothers and sisters.