About Us

The Medical Sisters of St. Joseph (MSJ) is a congregation deeply rooted in the spiritual vision of our founder, Servant of God Joseph Panjikaren (1888-1949). Driven by a profound encounter with God and a compassionate heart, Msgr. Joseph Panjikaren dedicated his life to the service of the sick and suffering. As the Director of the Propagation of Faith in the Vicariate of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, he witnessed firsthand the hardships endured by the sick and impoverished during his pastoral visits. His response to this was to manifest the love of Christ through acts of charity, leading to the establishment of a hospital, Dharmagiri, in Kothamangalam in 1934.

Recognizing the need for dedicated care, Msgr. Panjikaren founded a religious congregation for women, with the mission to see Christ in the sick and to lead them to salvation through compassionate service. On October 31, 1944, the official permission to establish the congregation was granted by Mar Augustine Kandathil, the then Metropolitan of the Ernakulam Archdiocese. The congregation was canonically erected on July 3, 1946, and was later elevated to Pontifical status on February 19, 1990. Over the years, MSJ has expanded its healing mission across various types of hospitals, dispensaries, health centers, mobile clinics, and care centers for the differently abled.

In 2019, MSJ marked 75 years of service in the Church and society. In response to the invitation from Bishop James Thopil of the Diocese of Kohima and recognizing the urgent need for palliative care in the region, we decided to establish a mission in Nagaland. Thus, St. Joseph Pain and Palliative Care Centre was born.

Our mission in Nagaland began in May 2019, with two pioneering missionaries, Sr. Maris and Sr. Cicil Therese, soon joined by Sr. Rosmary. A need assessment survey conducted prior to the launch of the mission highlighted the critical need for palliative care, particularly home-based care that empowers families to manage the care of their loved ones effectively. To address this, we registered a trust in Chumoukedima, Nagaland, in February 2021, and commenced the construction of a 20-bed palliative care center in the same month.

The center was officially inaugurated on April 24, 2022, by the Honorable Chief Minister of Nagaland, Sri Nephieu Rio, on Divine Mercy Day. Since its opening in August 2022, the center has been providing care for an average of 7-8 patients each month. In addition to institutional care, we conduct regular home care visits, serving approximately 30-35 patients in their homes across various villages.