About Us

The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross was established in 1856 by Fr. Theodosius Florentini, OFM Capuchin, and Blessed Mother Maria Theresa Scherer. During the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution plunged a vast number of people in Europe into poverty and hardship. Orphaned and neglected children wandered the streets, the sick and destitute were abandoned, industrial workers faced exploitation, and the educational system was severely disrupted and in urgent need of reform.

In these difficult times, God called upon two remarkable individuals—Fr. Theodosius Florentini, OFM Capuchin, a visionary leader, and Mother Maria Scherer, who possessed exceptional social awareness. Fr. Theodosius famously said, "As long as there is a poor child under the sun, I cannot rest." Motivated by this conviction, they dedicated themselves to education and the care of the sick and poor, striving to alleviate poverty and suffering in society. Their compassionate work began in Europe and expanded to India in 1894, starting in Bettiah (Bihar), and later spread to various parts of the country, including Jashpur.

With great enthusiasm and determination, the Holy Cross Sisters entered the Surguja region, nestled among beautiful mountains and hills. Recognizing the urgent need for teachers' training, especially for women, they felt compelled to establish a Basic Training Institute (BTI) in this rural and tribal area of Chhattisgarh. This vision became a reality under the dynamic leadership of Sr. Brigit in 1968, visionary missionaries, at Holy Cross Gholeng of what was then Madhya Pradesh, India. In 1974, the institute was relocated to Holy Cross, Pathalgaon, Jashpur, under the able management of Sr. Roseline Bara.

The purpose of the institute was to provide training to untrained teachers working in various schools across the districts of Jashpur, Surguja, and Raigarh. As a result, the Holy Cross Basic Training Institute (BTI) has successfully trained a large number of previously untrained teachers. Thousands of trainees have completed their training and are now employed in both government and private schools.