Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
The Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Mary ( English Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate , religious symbol : MSMI ) are a religious community in the Syro-Malabar Church , which the Roman Catholic Church has been in union .
history
The order was founded on September 8, 1962 by Rev. CJ Varkey in Kulathuvayal , India with 21 candidates under the name Sisters of Mary Immaculate (Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Mary). Kulathuvayal is located in the Syro-Malabar Archarche of Tellicherry in the north of the Indian state of Kerala . In view of the poverty of families and the oppression of women, the founder named the community: “Go as women to women and help!” On July 18, 1973, the community was founded by Bishop Sebastian Valloppilly as a congregation of diocesan law in the Diocese of Tellicherry, because of a double name now as Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculata , Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. On October 15, 1988, Pope John Paul II elevated the order to a congregation of papal law.
activity
The main tasks of the order are mainly in the social work with families, as intended by the founder, in the anti-abortion work , the sick and elderly care (especially the care of lepers ). Sisters work in orphanages, schools and prisons, as well as in pastoral care , the proclamation of the faith and community work . In India, the Order maintains some retreat houses ( Retreat Center ).
Today the Order has about 800 sisters, mostly in 144 houses in India organized in 25 provinces . The sisters are also active in the USA , Italy and Germany, where the first branch was established in 1972. In Germany, around 50 sisters are currently working mainly in the care of the elderly and the sick and in hospice work in the area of the Archdiocese of Cologne , in Aachen and Osnabrück.
See also
Web links
- Community Homepage (English)