Daughters of St Paul elects first Asian as global leader

By Jose Kavi

New Delhi, Oct 1, 2025: The Daughters of St Paul, a member of the Pauline Family, on October 1 elected Sister Mari Lucia Kim as their superior general during their 12th general chapter in Rome.

Sister Kim is the first Asian to head the 110-year-old congregation founded by Blessed James Alberione along with Mother Thecla Merlo. She is the eighth successor of Mother Merlo.

The Korean nun, who will turn 60 on November 1, has been a member of the congregation since 1995. She is currently the Korean provincial. She had served as a member of the general council during 2013-2019.

Sister Kim replaces Sister Anna Caiazza, who led the congregation for the past six years. She will head the congregation until 2031.

Some Indian members have cheered the election of the first Asian leader.

Indian provincial Sister Matilda D’Souza says she does not see Sister Kim as from Asia or Korea. “She is a Daughter of St Paul from the second largest province of the world. Yes, it is Yes it is a pride that an Asian is our new superior general,” she told Matters India from Rome where she is attending the chapter.

Sister Joeyanna D’Souza, a councillor of the Indian province, sees the election as “the beginning of a new era where Asians are given their due recognition in view of the many vocations from the continent. Sr Lucia is a great choice our sisters have made.”

Sister Lissy Maruthanakuzhy, a journalist, says Sister Kim’s election is the need of the time. “Our Korean province is advanced in the use of digital technologies for our mission of evangelization. They have younger, daring, creative, committed, qualified, members for our unique mission in communication media,” she told Matters India.

She said she had met the new superior general when she was posted at the congregation’s headquarters during 2018-2019.

The Daughters of St Paul, who entered South Korea in 1960, are known as the “Media Nuns” in the Southeast Asian nation.

The sisters spread the Gospel through various forms of media and literature, supporting Catholic culture among young people.

The sisters operate 15 bookshops throughout Korea and manage 12 communities. In 2020, they opened a new apostolic center in Seoul called Hyehwa Namu, which includes a bookstore, snack bar, event spaces, and a small theater.

Their primary focus is on forming young people through new media and establishing a website for their mission in Asia.

They are involved in training and motivational programs for young people in schools and universities.

The Daughters of St Paul has 1,815 members in 11 provinces and 14 delegations. As many as five houses are directly under the generalate.