Belgium & Netherlands
About us
Medical Mission Sisters have been present in the Netherlands and Belgium since 1939. They soon grew in number and were ready for mission in different parts of the world soon after the second World War.
Now being a group of advanced age, with most sisters in their eighties and older, they live in small groups accompanying each other through the joys and challenges of elder years.
With gratitude, they recall and treasure their presence and interaction with the people they have served in countries such as: India; Pakistan; Burma (Myanmar); Indonesia; Congo (DRC); Ghana; Kenya; Malawi; South Africa; Swaziland; and Uganda; as well as Brazil and Peru.
Our presence today
To the best of their ability, the Sisters keep in touch with developments in these countries and follow with keen interest current developments of MMS mission in various places in the world, aware that they have helped lay a sound foundation. Knowing that they have significantly contributed to the wellbeing of many individuals and groups across the world enhances their sense of peace and contentment; and treasuring the lasting bonds of friendship with fellow sisters in our international Society, they support the further unfolding of the Society’s mission through their prayers.
Unit Netherlands-Belgium becomes the Religious House Netherlands-Belgium.
Now the Sisters all live in places where care is well organised. Some remain independent with additional support, as needed, whilst others live in nursing or care homes.
However, the increasing age of the Sisters made it necessary to rethink the form of government in Unit Netherlands-Belgium. With ever fewer Sisters able to attend to internal management, after a process of research and consultation, it was decided to transform Unit Netherlands-Belgium into the Religious House Netherlands-Belgium. This is the smallest possible legal form according to Canonical Law, which involves fewer administrative obligations for the Medical Mission Sisters. The Religious House has a House Coordinator who, in turn, is supported by a local council.
On October 14 2022, the Religious House was officially set up with Sister Elly Verrijt as the first House Coordinator, supported by Mien Leistra and Gertrud Dederichs, as council members. For purposes of handling all daily activities, MMS leadership continues to be supported by a competent team of lay staff. In January 2024, Sister Gertrud Dederichs in the role of House Coordinator and Sister Lutgarde De Brouwer as Council Sister took over from Sister Elly Verrijt as MMS' new leadership team.
Given that the care of the Sisters is well organised, Sister Gertrud and Sister Lutgarde consider that attention to the well-being of each sister is their current priority and they are devoting time to this in collaboration with the lay staff. With confidence and attentiveness, they have both committed themselves to journeying closely with the community of Sisters and its staff and are helping to bring the fruitful life and mission of MMS in Netherland-Belgium to completion.
Sister Elly's care for creation
Sister Elly Verrijt is a pioneer in ecological spirituality. She is an international workshop leader, retreat guide and transition coach and is involved in transformation for a New Earth Consciousness and Earth Healing.
From the nineties of the last century, she pioneered a way to help people to reconnect with the Cosmos and Earth. Through this special mission, she saw deep changes in the life of people. Now we know more and more that care for the Earth and all life is part of our vocation. She says, “If we know the Story of the Beginning and the process of the evolution, we see how at the right moment, great changes happened in this process, and the journey of the Cosmos went on. If this is the cosmic pattern, then this pattern is also true for our personal life. It is my hope that we will find a new way of life and healing for the whole community of Life in these delicate times."
Sister Elly is providing workshops on eco-spirituality every two weeks through Zoom to MMS, starting in East Africa, but also extending an invitation to all those in MMS who want to participate. Her input supports the work of Sister Josephine Nafula and Sister Immaculate Tusingwire, who are certified Laudato si’ animators. She hopes that more and more will take up leadership for a sustainable world and growth in eco-spirituality.
This is the address of Sister Elly's new website:
Welcome | Ecological Leadership (trainingecologicalleadership.com)
Meet our oldest member
At 75 years ago, the eldest sister in Unit The Netherlands /Belgium, Bep Tijssen, committed herself to the Society.
Sister Bep, now 104 years old, she entered the Society in the middle of World War II. In the book that she wrote on her life, she reflects a lot about love. The fruit of a life with so many different happenings. “Truly happy, I know and experience, that I, step-by-step, call myself an intensely grateful woman of faith. My journey of many years makes me see an encouraging answer: all that exists, can and may only be because of inexpressible LOVE.
“For me, love is the only power that cannot be overruled; love, the power for humanity and the world. All that we humans have said about her, about God, what we have done, manipulated, proved, is the work of humans - also when it happened in authenticity. Our mind cannot comprehend love. To believe this is to me like a new birth.”
