For 175 years, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ have lived a simple and steady mission rooted in humility, compassion, and trust in God. What began in a small German village with Saint Katharina Kasper and a handful of women has grown into a global community of service that benefits Fort Wayne through the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation.

Saint Katharina was born into poverty in Dernbach, Germany, and learned early what it meant to respond to the needs of her neighbors. She visited the sick, supported struggling families, and gathered other women who felt called to do the same. Their work was practical, prayerful, and grounded in the belief that every person deserves care and dignity. This spirit became the foundation of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, a congregation committed to serving with simplicity and love.

The sisters eventually brought this mission to the United States, where they were invited to help care for German immigrant families in the Diocese of Fort Wayne. Their response was immediate. They stepped into a community facing illness, poverty, and limited access to care, and they helped establish St. Joseph Hospital. From the beginning, the sisters created a place where anyone could receive compassionate treatment regardless of background or ability to pay. Their ministries grew to include education, childcare, and social outreach, always guided by the same values that shaped their earliest work.

When the sisters later transitioned away from operating the hospital, they ensured that their mission would continue by establishing the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation. The Foundation carries forward the same commitments that defined the Poor Handmaids from the start. It listens closely to the needs of the community, focuses on those who are most vulnerable, and supports programs that strengthen health, dignity, and opportunity. Whether the need involves maternal and infant support, services for immigrants and refugees, access to food, or other health services the Foundation seeks to respond with the same compassion and attentiveness that guided Saint Katharina.

The Poor Handmaids are marking their 175th anniversary with the theme “Moved by God’s Spirit”. The celebration includes opportunities for prayer, reflection, and community gatherings throughout the year. Two public events include the Maria Center’s 2nd Annual High Tea on May 9 in Plymouth, Indiana, and the 27th Annual Walk for Sojourner Truth House in Gary, Indiana, which supports women and families facing homelessness and hunger.

More information about anniversary events can be found at poorhandmaids.org/175-years.

As the Poor Handmaids celebrate this milestone, the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation joins them in gratitude. The values that shaped Saint Katharina’s life continue to guide the Foundation’s work today. Every partnership, every grant, and every act of support offered to a neighbor in need is part of the same story of service that began in 1851. The Spirit that moved those first women in Dernbach continues to move in Fort Wayne, and the Foundation is honored to help carry that legacy into the future.