Handmaids of Christ, is an Indigenous Goan Diocesan Religious Congregation. It was founded by a holy and zealous diocesan priest from Benaulim, Goa, India, Msgr. Herculano Damaceno Gonsalves in 1935 while he was the Vicar of Calangute.
He was seized with a vision to be Christ like to the poor, the destitute, the orphaned and the unwanted in order to incarnate Christ in them.At this time he was approached by a few young ladies who wished to serve the Lord in his Charism and this led to the forming of a ‘Pious Association’ of women dedicated to God living a common life of Love and Labour strengthened by prayer and Eucharist.
This ‘Pious Association’ had the approval of the Local Ordinary in 1934, thus a seed was sown for the ‘First indigeneous Congregation in Portuguese India’ by Msgr. Herculano Gonsalves.
Then on 16th January 1935 these dedicated girls started their Novitiate and on 8th September eight novices made their First Profession.
Msgr. Herculano was by then appointed the Vicar General of the mission area of the Ghats. From there through frequent letters and occasional visits continued the direction of the Sisters very ably since he was the Spiritual Director of the Fransciscan Sisters at Bandra for over two decades and the Spiritual Director of the seminarians at Daman for 24 years.
Being a Missionary himself, he inspired and shared with the Sisters his Charism and sel-sacrificing and missionary spirit and instilled in them the fundamentals or religious life – to be detached and to be of one heart and one mind, to find their strength in the Passion of the Lord, the Blessed Sacrament and Mother Mary.
Vocations gradually increased with Sr. Chagas, the first Superior General of the future Congregation. The first branch house was opened in Sanguem, Goa in 1938, with rapid expansion, within a decade twelve branch houses were opened in remote parts of Goa.
Under the able guidance and counseling of their Founder, they undertook all types of charitable and missionary works; caring for the foundlings, the orphaned, the mentally retarded, the aged and sick, parish catechesis, managing shelter homes for the protection of women and workigfor their upliftment, training young girls for needle-work and tailoring, courses in arts and crafts, conducting schools in English, Portuguese and Konkani.
Superior Genaral from 1942 to Present date
