Brief History
 
Below is a brief history from Kuching to Miri.

 
1879

Sarawak, North Borneo and Brunei  was entrusted  to the Mill Hill Missionary Society based in England
 
1885 Jul 05

The first arrival of five St Joseph Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to Sarawak
 
1928 Jan 10

The first authorization for an establishment of a institution of a Sisterhood in Sarawak for the Chinese and other races  under the rule of the Third Order of St Francis of Assisi. Fr A. Hopfgartner was then asked by Msgr Edmund Dunn to compose a book of rules for the Sisters . About six months later on 26 July after obtaining the approval by the Sacred Congregation for Religious, Msgr Edmund Dunn, the Prefecture Apostolic of Sarawak, formally issued the decree for the erection of the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Sarawak. Six months later on 03 December the Little Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak was officially established


 
1941-1945

The Japanese occupations in Sarawak, all the activities of the Franciscan Sisters were brought to an end.
The Sisters were scattered all over in all directions, some took refuge among the locals and natives.
 
1946 Jan

After the war, in January 1946, all the local Sisters were again asked to a retreat in Kuching and to pronounce their final vows. From then on, The Little Sisters expanded to other parts of Sarawak. Their duties  now  to include caring for the sick and aged,  inpatient and outpatient in Nursing Homes.
 
1957 May 21

Mother Rita Smith, Fr Harry Van Erp MHM, Fr Francis Hulsbosch MHM and Mother Margaret Sim made the first official visit to Long San with the intention of setting up a community there.
 
1958 Jan18 Mother Margaret Sim together with four other sisters arrived and settled in Long San.
Their duties were mainly involved in medical, social, catechetical and education apostolates. Mother Margaret and another Sister Winifred were then trained midwives and they worked in the Mission Hospital which catered for the Kenyahs, Kayans and other indigenous races in the interior of the  Baram.
 
1964 Apr St Bernadette's Convent was officially opened by Bishop Anthony Galvin. Mother Magdalen Liew together with four other sisters were stationed there. Mother Magdalen and Sister Beatrice were involved in teaching, catechetical and pastoral work while two other sisters, Sister Bridget and Sister Paula looked after the convent, boarders, sacristy and other essential services.
 
1968 Jan 04 Further expansion led to the opening of St Francis Xavier's Convent in Miri by Bishop Anthony Galvin.
 
1993 May03 During the Major Superiors meeting in Rome Mother Theresa signed in Sister Flora note book "keep the joy of loving Jesus in your hearts and share this joy with all you meet especially your community."
 
  Since then, with the gradual take over by the government of schools and clinics formerly run by the Sisters, the Sisters were now free to enter into new fields of work.
 
1998 Dec03 His Holiness John Paul II paternally impacts a special Apostolic Blessing to The Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak, on the occasion of their 70th Anniversary of their foundation, as a pledge of continued Divine Protection.