Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word - Houston, Texas

What Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word - Houston, Texas does

The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (CCVI) is a Catholic religious congregation of women religious founded on October 25, 1866 in Galveston, Texas, now headquartered at the 72-acre Villa de Matel motherhouse in Houston, Texas. The congregation operates across four core ministry verticals: education (St. Austin Literacy Center for adult ESL and citizenship preparation in Houston, Elizabeth Place Outreach Ministry for vocational training in Nairobi), healthcare (co-sponsorship of CHRISTUS Health, participation in CommonSpirit Health System, Carrigoran House elderly care in Ireland), spirituality (Ruah Spirituality Center at Villa de Matel, St. Bakhita Centre in Kenya, Ukarimu Spirituality Centre in Kenya, Casa de Retiros Verbo Encarnado in Guatemala), and social ministries (St. Austin Center multi-service community hub in Houston's East End, El Amparo de San Jose and El Hogar de mi Hermano elderly care homes in Guatemala).

Revenue is generated primarily through donations, suggested contributions for retreat programs ($75 per night for overnight retreats, $25 per day for days of prayer), and the institutional sponsorship of large Catholic health systems. Distribution is direct-to-recipient through congregation-operated facilities rather than commercial channels, supplemented by referral partnerships with Catholic Charities, the Houston READ Commission, and faith-based anti-trafficking coalitions. The congregation's technical "platform" is largely physical and human: prayer labyrinths, retreat houses, literacy classrooms, and care facilities staffed by vowed sisters, lay Charism Carriers (formerly Associates, rebranded 2026), and program directors. Core technology is described as spirituality and retreat center facilities including natural prayer labyrinths and contemplative spaces.

The entity is governed by an elected Leadership Team led since 2026 by Congregational Leader Sr. Ricca Dimalibot, with regional vocation directors across the USA, Central America, and Africa. The congregation has no parent company, no public financial disclosures, and no AI or software-product offerings; its 158-year operating history and global presence across six countries (USA, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Kenya, Ireland) constitute its principal intangible assets and distribution reach.

Name

Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word - Houston, Texas

Legal name

Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word

Website

https://sistersofcharity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word is a Catholic religious congregation founded in 1866, headquartered in Houston, Texas, operating education, healthcare, spirituality, and social service ministries across six countries including the U.S., Kenya, Guatemala, and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Social Services (Catholic faith-based ministry across education, healthcare, spirituality, and social outreach)

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAC

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAG

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAH

Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYHLADABAH

Faith-Based / Nonprofit Assisted Living Providers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Assisted Living Facilities

SECONDARYHLAFAAAE

Faith-Based & Nonprofit Hospital Systems

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Acute Care Hospitals & Health Systems

Keywords

• Catholic education ministry
• Religious healthcare sponsorship
• Spirituality retreat programs
• Social ministry outreach
• Religious congregation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Congregation operates primarily through donations from supporters, benefactors, and the faithful who share their mission of serving the poor, sick, and marginalized.
2. Sponsorship of Healthcare Systems: The Congregation sponsors or co-sponsors large health systems including CHRISTUS Health and is a Participating Congregation within CommonSpirit Health System, providing institutional sponsorship and mission alignment.
3. Retreat and Program Donations: Suggested donations for retreat programs including $75 per night for overnight stays and $25 per day for personal days of prayer, with donations accepted from retreatants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston is a Catholic religious congregation of vowed women religious founded in 1866 in Galveston, Texas and now headquartered at Villa de Matel in Houston. The congregation delivers faith-based ministry services across four primary areas: Catholic education (sponsoring and staffing parish schools), healthcare ministry (sponsorship of Catholic healthcare institutions and direct care for the sick), spiritual life (retreats, spiritual direction, formation of new sisters, and ongoing prayer at the motherhouse), and social outreach (charitable works serving the poor, immigrants, and marginalized).

Product overview

Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word is a Catholic religious congregation offering a portfolio of ministry programs rather than a commercial product. The organization operates multiple service programs across four core areas: Education (literacy centers, schools), Healthcare (partnerships with CHRISTUS Health, CommonSpirit Health, elderly care facilities), Social Ministries (community centers, immigration services, anti-human trafficking), and Spirituality (retreat centers, spiritual direction). Key programs include St. Austin Literacy Center for adult ESL and citizenship classes, Elizabeth Place Outreach Ministry for vocational training in Kenya, Ruah Spirituality Center for contemplative retreats in Houston, and various elderly care homes in Guatemala. The congregation also runs a Vocation Program for women discerning religious life and CCVI Charism Carriers for lay associates. These programs function as distinct service offerings rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• St. Austin Literacy Center: Adult literacy education program offering ESL classes and citizenship preparation in Houston's East End
• Ruah Spirituality Center
• Elizabeth Place Outreach Ministry (EPOM)
• St. Bakhita Centre
• Ukarimu Spirituality Centre
• CCVI Charism Carriers
• El Amparo de San Jose
• El Hogar de mi Hermano

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and general.

• Dominican Sisters (O.P.) and Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament (C.V.I.)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Three Houston Motherhouses with distinguished histories in education collaborated to form the Intercongregational Literacy Core Group. Led by Sister Kevina Keating, CCVI, they created a Resource Center, newsletter (Word Share), and annual social to advance adult literacy.
• Houston READ CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership formed to strengthen the Intercongregational Literacy Ministry launched after the 1994 Ministry Needs Assessment. The partnership helped establish literacy programs serving Houston's functionally illiterate adult population.
• CHRISTUS HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCVI co-sponsors CHRISTUS Health, ranked among the top 10 Catholic health systems in the US by size. The system includes more than 40 hospitals and facilities across 7 US states, Chile, Colombia, and 6 states in Mexico. CCVI's mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ is fulfilled through this partnership.
• CommonSpirit Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCVI is a Participating Congregation within CommonSpirit Health System, one of the largest health systems in the United States, aligning CCVI's Catholic healthcare ministry with a broader network.
• Sisters of Charity Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCVI sponsors the Sisters of Charity Health System, extending their healthcare ministry through this institutional sponsorship.
• Catholic Charities' Blessed Beginnings Pregnancy & Parenting Life CentergeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerPro-life agency providing support and education for parents from pregnancy through child's age 3, located at St. Austin Center.
• Catholic Charities' St. Frances Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal AssistancegeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerImmigration legal services visiting St. Austin Center monthly, providing services to families, crime victims, asylum seekers, and those seeking citizenship.
• CHRISTUS St. Mary's ClinicgeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare clinic for uninsured and underserved patients located at St. Austin Center, directed by Sister Rosanne Popp, M.D., CCVI. Also serves as base for mobile clinics.
• L.I.F.E. HoustongeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerHouston's only infant food bank providing emergency infant formula and support services to families with infants at St. Austin Center.
• Houston Area Women's Center (HAWC)generalGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides safety and comprehensive services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, available through St. Austin Center referrals.
• United Against Human Trafficking CoalitiongeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerCoalition of 50+ members working to end human trafficking in Greater Houston and Lake Charles, LA.
• Houston Food Bank - Community Assistance ProgramgeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides on-site assistance with SNAP and other state benefits at St. Austin Center on first and third Wednesdays.
• Texas Children's Health PlangeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerCHIP/Medicaid enrollment assistance available at St. Austin Center every Thursday 10am-2pm.
• Justice for All ImmigrantsgeneralGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides free monthly legal appointments for asylum seekers at St. Austin Center, part of the Immigration Law & Justice Network.
• Talitha KummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking connecting CCVI to a global network of women religiously working to end human trafficking.
• Alliance to End Human TraffickingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative, faith-based national network offering education, supporting survivor services, and engaging in advocacy to eradicate modern-day slavery.
• Local Colleges and Community ProgramsgeneralTechnology or IntegrationPartner organizations providing computer, nutrition, physical activity, and craft classes at St. Austin Literacy Center.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio: Direct sister congregation founded from the same 1866 origin in Galveston that split in 1869. Operates parallel ministries in healthcare, education, and spirituality with a shared Incarnate Word charism, making it the closest possible peer.
• Sisters of Charity of Nazareth: Catholic women's religious congregation with parallel mission in healthcare, education, and social services across the US, India, Kenya, and Belize. Shares the Sisters of Charity heritage and similar focus on serving the poor and vulnerable.
• Sisters of Charity Health System: Cleveland-based Catholic health system sponsored by another Sisters of Charity congregation. CCVI is itself a sponsor of this health system, making it a direct peer in the religious-sponsorship-of-healthcare model.
• Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul: One of the largest Catholic women's religious congregations dedicated to serving the sick and poor. Operates hospitals, schools, and social service ministries across multiple countries, with a deeply comparable healthcare and social service mission.
• Dominican Sisters of Houston: Local Catholic women's religious congregation that partnered with CCVI to form the Intercongregational Literacy Core Group. Direct operational peer in Houston-based education, parish, and social ministries.
• Sisters of Mercy of the Americas: Large Catholic women's religious congregation with parallel mission in education, healthcare, and social justice. Operates extensive health and education systems comparable to CCVI's healthcare sponsorship portfolio.
• Hospital Sisters of St. Francis: Catholic women's congregation sponsoring HSHS Hospital System across Illinois and Wisconsin. Comparable model of religious women sponsoring a multi-hospital health system and operating ministries internationally.

Broad incumbents

• CHRISTUS Health: CCVI is a co-sponsor of this top-10 US Catholic health system operating 40+ hospitals across 7 US states, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. A direct sponsorship peer rather than an arms-length competitor.
• CommonSpirit Health: One of the largest US non-profit health systems, formed from the merger of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. CCVI is a Participating Congregation within this system, making it a direct institutional peer.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston: Major regional Catholic social services provider that co-locates services at CCVI's St. Austin Center. Direct operational peer in faith-based social services across immigration, anti-trafficking, and family support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/facebook
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccvihouston/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word - Houston, Texas