At the beginning of the 20th century, Dr. (Mrs) Punnan Lukose, the Durbar Physician of Travancore, envisioned compassionate nursing care in government hospitals. At her request, Maharaja Sreemoolam Thirunal Rama Varma invited Catholic Sisters from Europe to serve the sick. Through Archbishop Aloysius Maria Benziger, the invitation reached Mother Maria Paula Beck, the Superior General of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Menzingen.
Responding generously to this call, our pioneer Sisters arrived in India on 4 November 1906. They began their healing mission at the Trivandrum General Hospital and the School of Nursing. Though formal training was limited, their spirit of dedication, compassion, and selfless service made them deeply loved and respected by patients and doctors alike. Thus began the healing ministry of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in India rooted in faith, sacrifice, and loving care.