As the Sisters Poor of Jesus Christ marked a decade of humble service in Hamilton, Ont., with a joyful Mass of Thanksgiving earlier this month, the community was sure not to dwell on the commemoration for too long.

The sisters wasted no time embracing their boldest step yet in Canada, having officially opened the order's new mission house in Toronto on Feb. 1, standing ready to bring Christ's love to the city's vast and varied faces of poverty and beyond. 

The new mission marks the second Canadian mission house of the community, a Catholic institute initially founded in 2001 in Brazil, with a dedicated service to the poor, homeless and those with addictions. Located near St. Anthony's Parish in the Bloor-Dufferin area of Toronto, the expansion did not come from a long-term strategic plan, but rather from a chance encounter at the 2024 Annual Hispanic Pilgrimage to Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland, Ont.

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It was there that Sister Luz of Mary most Pure had a conversation that would see one of the promising expansions of Catholic love and service enter into the province’s capital. 

“We had wanted to be in Toronto, but figured it was not God's timing yet. While we were waiting for the Mass to start, our friend had said that the Cardinal wanted to talk to me, and the first question that (then) Archbishop Frank Leo asked was, ‘Why are you not in my Archdiocese?’ ” Sr. Luz recalled.

She replied boldly, reflecting now on whether or not it was the Holy Spirit that gave her the strength for what she answered Leo with. 

“I said, ‘Well, because you haven't invited us yet.’ He said that was something that had to change, and that’s how our journey here started.” 

Sisters of Poor Jesus Christ serve in 18 countries around the world in roughly 70 houses, comprising nearly 350 sisters total. Both religious women and brothers make up the community, although the women vastly outweigh their counterparts in numbers. 

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With an unchanging charism of “Jesus all, all for Jesus,” ministries have managed to adapt to local needs while serving the poor in all forms, notably through street and jail ministry, outreach to women in prostitution and human trafficking and various sobriety programs for those battling addictions.

With a mission that touches nearly every aspect of service to those in need, the community remains inspired by Matthew 25:40 — “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ” 

Since the Sisters' arrival in Hamilton 10 years ago, the community has grown.

“This is the first year that the first two Canadians have joined our community, with two vocations from Canada that are right now located in Los Angeles. This was a chance to celebrate the 10 years that God really wanted us here. Many thanks were given to former Bishop (Douglas) Crosby and Bishop Dabrowski, who were both very grateful for our mission,” she said. 

Now relocated to the heart of the country’s most populous city, along with two other sisters, Sister Luz will have her work cut out for her. A 2024 Street Needs Assessment released in July 2025 showed Toronto's unhoused population as having reached a level of approximately 15,400 people, a figure far surpassing Hamilton’s 2,029 as of last August. 

In its first month and a half, the Toronto Mission House has already engaged in street ministry on Saturdays along with a new mission of increased parish support as lay pastoral associates in areas such as catechesis, young adult groups and liturgical accompaniment. 

The Sisters are also working toward launching a sobriety program as requested by St. Anthony’s pastor, Fr. Eduardo de Oliveira Paixao. 

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“It is overwhelming when we go to the streets (in Toronto) because there is so much need, not just in the homelessness population, but also related to our religion. When I listen to people, I see how much of a need there is for evangelization as well. We look forward to that aspect as well,” Sister Luz said. 

As much of a challenge as the Toronto landscape might be, Sister Luz remains up to the task. Having been drawn at just 16-years-old by the Sisters' total dedication to the Lord and joyful service without complaint, the radical love she witnessed transformed her from loving God casually to desiring it with her whole being.