The Canossians are a family of two Catholic religious institutes and three affiliated lay associations that trace their origin to Magdalen of Canossa, a religious sister canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

Canossian family

Canossian Daughters of Charity, Servants of the Poor (FDCC)

The Canossian Daughters of Charity (Canossian Sisters), is a Catholic religious institute founded by Magdalen of Canossa in Verona, Italy, in 1808. On February 27, 1860, six Canossian Sisters from Venice and Padua began their journey to Hong Kong arriving there on April 12, 1860. From there the sisters went to Macau and then to Southeast Asia. Today they count eighteen provinces with approximately 2,700 Sisters in more than 336 communities and in 32 countries around the world. Their primary works of charity include education, catechesis, and care of the sick. The General House is in Rome. (FDCC is the Italian abbreviation of "Figlie Della Carità Canossiane"). ENCA or Enlace Canossiano America (Canossian Network in America) is the union of the three Canossian Provinces in America: Brazil, Argentina and North America. It includes all the Canossian Sisters residing in America. Since 1988 the sisters help with pastoral work, teaching and hospital visitation the Chinese Community and the new Chinese immigrants at Canadian Martyrs Parish in Richmond in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia. In the United States the Canossian Daughters of Charity run a retreat center, the Canossian Spirituality Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Sisters in Macau spread out to other countries in Southeast Asia towards the end of the 19th century. In 1894 mainly Italian and Portuguese-speaking Sisters arrived at the Portuguese Mission at St. Joseph's Church in Singapore (then part of the Straits Settlements) and expanded to Malaya, both of which were part of the British Empire. As of 2008 the Sisters are the largest religious orders in the Archdiocese of Singapore and operate three mainstream schools – St Anthony's Canossian Primary & Secondary School & Canossa Catholic Primary School; two pre-schools/kindergartens, one special school for the deaf and two homes for the Aged Sick providing palliative care. In addition, the Sisters offer retreats and spiritual direction. In the Philippines, Mother Anna Bautista led a group of sisters and founded the first mission and school in the country in 1954.

Canossian Sons of Charity (FdCC)

The Canossian Sons of Charity, (Canossian Fathers), were founded in Venice in 1831. They count today about 200 brothers and priests dedicated to the education of children and young people through catechesis in schools, orphanages, youth centers (oratories) and other works of charity towards the poor and the least. They are present in Italy, Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania, India and the Philippines. (FdCC means "Figli della Carità Canossiani"). In 1986 upon the invitation of the late Cardinal Jaime Sin, Archbishop of Manila, the Canossian Fathers in Italy sent two priests to start a mission and to open a seminary.

Affiliates

Schools

Hong Kong

Australia

India

Macau

Malaysia

Singapore

Philippines

Hospitals

Saints

The foundress of the Canossians, Magdalen of Canossa (1774–1835), was canonized a saint on 2 October 1988 by Pope John Paul II. Mother Josephine Bakhita of Sudan (1869–1947) was also named a Canossian saint on 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

Members proposed for sainthood

Canossian Daughters and Sons of Charity who are proposed for canonization by the Church include:

Members