Franciscan Missionary Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Franciscan Missionary Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary – Sister Miriam Rose, FMCIM

Francescane Missionarie d’Egitto del Cuore Immaculato di Maria

☩ The first female Italian Missionary Congregation in Egypt ☩

Foundress: Blessed Mary Catherine of St. Rose ( Costanza Troiani – the “White Mother” )

Place: Cairo, Egypt

Year: 1868 A.D.

Her Charism: This Sister lives a charism rooted in the Gospel, centered on contemplating Christ and His Mother while engaging in missionary service. She embodies the Franciscan spirit of poverty, simplicity, minority, and intense prayer. “LOVE and SACRIFICE” is the guiding principle of her mission. The Will of God is her perpetual hunger, thirst, and yearning. Her charism is based on the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi and the brilliant vision of her Foundress. Because of her fearlessness and preferential love for the orphaned poor, this Sister’s spirituality also has a Marian dimension. Her life is also deeply connected to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, reflecting her virtues of purity and obedience. Like an expectant mother, she “carries” the Gospel of Jesus, “crucified, naked, and abandoned” on the Cross, and in HIM she is entrusted to “work hard towards the conversion of people beyond the seas.” Deeply committed to the work of evangelization and human development, she serves the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized primarily through her active ministries in education, and health services. Her aim is to provide a joyful and vibrant presence of a loving Jesus and gentle Mary, Star of Evangelization, everywhere she serves – always welcoming the “last of the pilgrims,” upholding the dignity, value, and beauty of all human life, and promoting interfaith dialogue, freedom from all forms of slavery, and peace. ☩ She is often affectionately referred to as the “Franciscan Sister of Egypt.” ☩