Urged by the insistent requests of some lay people who knew the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate and who collaborated with them in the Provincial Assembly of South Brazil in 2000, the Lay MSI group was started.
The first group was formed around the community of Vila Missionaria in Sao Paolo. It continues with 21 members at present.
Subsequently other groups came into existence in Antonio Goncalves with 32 members and the group of Braganca Paulista with three members.
All the Lay MSI are engaged in various parish activities. The groups cooperate among them in organizing events of missionary animation and help the MSI communities in some activities and celebrations of the province.
The sister in charge of the Lay MSI groups at the provincial level is. Sr. Jyothi Joseph Satyanapalli
The group was born in Macapa on 3rd May 2004.
At present in the province of North Brazil there are five groups, in the towns of Macapa, Belem, Manaus, Parinthins, and Maues situated in the Brazilian Amazon, with a total number of 72 members.
Majority of them are engaged in the pastoral activities in the parish and visit the communities in the interior regions. Some members of the group of Manaus, during the Holy Week and Easter Triduum help in the communities of the periphery where the priest is not present.
Some members would be ready to have a missionary experience for some years in the context of mission ad gentes.
The provincial coordinator of the Lay MSI group at present is Sr. Rosiene Gomes De Freitas.