FRANCISCAN MISSIONARY OF MARY

Franciscan Missionary of Mary –  Sister Maria Regina della Pace, fmm                                              † The first missionary Congregation founded for women in the Church and in the world †                                                “Witnessing the power of Truth through Charity”                                                          A Franciscan woman called to live the kenosis (self-emptying) of Christ                                                  in creative fidelity and solidarity with the suffering of the world.                                                                            “Ecce” –  “Behold!”  †  “Fiat” –  “Yes”

Foundress:  Hélène Marie de Chappotin de Neuville  (Blessed Mary of the Passion)                                          (and her 19 faithful companions)

Place:  Ootacamund, Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India

Year:  1877 A.D.

Her Charism:  Trained in the spirit of St. Ignatius Loyola, this Sister dynamically lives and communicates the “everywhere” of God’s love.  This perspective leads her to a readiness to be sent anywhere in the world where she can be a credible witness to the compassion and joy of the Gospel among many from different nations and cultures.  Deeply intuitive, seized  by the love of Christ, and gifted with a global vision, she gives of herself tirelessly manifesting God’s love for all, especially the poorest, most abandoned, excluded, and despised in the most dangerous and distant places.  Participating in the universal mission of the Church, she  strives to witness unity amidst diversity as a sign of communion, peace, hope, and reconciliation.  Like St. Francis, this Sister journeys with her brothers and sisters in simplicity, joy, and Gospel living, growing in the culture of Christ.  She follows the great missionary, Jesus, exposed and adored on the altar (the seal of her vocation and the center of her life).    In this way, she gives life to the meaning of the word “Catholic” – all-inclusive, centered on the Eucharist, and the offering of self without reserve in imitation of Mary who gave Christ to the world and flesh to a dream of a world of peace, justice, and healing.  This image is at the very heart of her spirituality.  She responds to the immediate needs of people in hospitals, refugee camps, crisis centers, and prisons.  And she particularly stands out for her presence among immigrant refugees, asylum-seekers, and victims of human trafficking and violence.  A woman of extraordinary courage, zeal, and immense faith in the goodness of God, this Sister sees the whole world as her homeland which she carries in the palm of her hand and discovers Christ’s hidden presence in all her brothers and sisters.