Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Encyclopedia
The Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary were founded by Blessed
Mary Catherine Troiani, O.S.F., in 1868 in Cairo, Egypt.
suburb of Giuliano on January 9, 1813. Tragically, when she was six her mother died in a domestic accident. She was then entrusted to the loving care of the Nun
s of St. Clare of Charity in the Monastery of Ferentino
, who raised her as a pious, caring girl. She drew inspiration from the Lives of the Saints
and periodicals describing the life of the missionaries
. At the age of 15, she felt a vocation
to be a member of the small monastic congregation which had raised her. Given her known piety and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament
and her caring personality, she was quickly accepted and given the name Sister Mary Catherine of St. Rose of Viterbo
. Shortly after her religious profession, she was named as Secretary of the monastery and of the Abbess
. Her prayers and work then supported the Abbess in their efforts to help the development of their small religious congregation, which was struggling to follow a more strictly cloistered life.
Thoughts of working in the foreign missions, however, never left her mind. It was at this time in her life that Father
Joseph Modena, O.F.M., became the confessor
to the nuns of the monastery (1851). Father Joseph had recently returned from a period of missionary service in Alexandria, Egypt. While there, he had learned from the Apostolic Delegate to that nation about the great need for education among the children of that country. He sought to find Religious Sisters to fill this need and spoke to various monasteries in search of volunteers. The community in Ferentino chose to support his quest and to send some of the nuns to Egypt.
Several years of preparation were spent seeking the various approvals needed from both ecclesiastical and civil authorities for such a step. Finally, all permissions had been received, a house in Cairo had been purchased through the help of a relative of Sister Catherine, thus a party of six nuns set out for Egypt, led by the Abbess herself. They arrived in Cairo on September 14, 1859 and immediately set about gathering children to teach and going out among the poor to care for the sick. They soon learned Arabic
to make their mission effective. Sister Catherine provided much of the leadership of the new foundation, due to the poor health of the Abbess. In the Chapter
of 1863, she herself was elected as Abbess, and from that time was addressed as Mother Mary Catherine.
The success of the Mission gave rise to the need for more hands. It was at this juncture that the monastic community in Ferentino chose to withdraw from its support of the Mission. Faced with either returning to Italy or closing a Mission that was just beginning to flourish, she and her companions decided to separate from their monastic congregation. They chose to re-organize under the Rule of the Third Order of St. Francis
and received formal approval of the Holy See
on November 10, 1868, under the name of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Egypt.
under the new Rule. They were joined by nine new novice
s in taking the new habit. Soon new missions were founded throughout Egypt, and then abroad, in Milan
, Malta
and Jerusalem. The work of the congregation developed under Mother Catherine's leadership for nearly two decades, until she fell ill while in Cairo during Eastertide
1887. She died there the following May 6th. Mother Catherine was beatified
by Pope
John Paul II in 1985.
. The work of the Sisters continued to spread through the continent of Africa, expanding to West Africa
, and then to both North America
and to South America
as well as to Asia
. They now number some 900 Sisters and serve in 15 countries on 5 continents.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Mary Catherine Troiani, O.S.F., in 1868 in Cairo, Egypt.
Early life in the monastery
Blessed Catherine was born Costanza Troiani in the RomanRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
suburb of Giuliano on January 9, 1813. Tragically, when she was six her mother died in a domestic accident. She was then entrusted to the loving care of the Nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s of St. Clare of Charity in the Monastery of Ferentino
Ferentino
Ferentino is a town and comune in Italy, in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, 65 km southeast of Rome.It is situated on a hill 400 m above sea-level, in the Monti Ernici area.-History:...
, who raised her as a pious, caring girl. She drew inspiration from the Lives of the Saints
Lives of the Saints
Lives of the Saints is a novel by Nino Ricci. The author's first book, it forms the first part of a trilogy. The other two novels are In a Glass House and Where She Has Gone...
and periodicals describing the life of the missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. At the age of 15, she felt a vocation
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
to be a member of the small monastic congregation which had raised her. Given her known piety and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
and her caring personality, she was quickly accepted and given the name Sister Mary Catherine of St. Rose of Viterbo
Rose of Viterbo
Saint Rose of Viterbo, T.O.S.F., was a virgin saint, born at Viterbo, Italy.The chronology of her life must always remain uncertain, as the Acts of her canonization, the chief historical sources, record no dates...
. Shortly after her religious profession, she was named as Secretary of the monastery and of the Abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
. Her prayers and work then supported the Abbess in their efforts to help the development of their small religious congregation, which was struggling to follow a more strictly cloistered life.
Thoughts of working in the foreign missions, however, never left her mind. It was at this time in her life that Father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
Joseph Modena, O.F.M., became the confessor
Confessor
-Confessor of the Faith:Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death. The term is still used in this way in the East. In Latin Christianity it has come to signify any saint, as well as those who have been declared...
to the nuns of the monastery (1851). Father Joseph had recently returned from a period of missionary service in Alexandria, Egypt. While there, he had learned from the Apostolic Delegate to that nation about the great need for education among the children of that country. He sought to find Religious Sisters to fill this need and spoke to various monasteries in search of volunteers. The community in Ferentino chose to support his quest and to send some of the nuns to Egypt.
Several years of preparation were spent seeking the various approvals needed from both ecclesiastical and civil authorities for such a step. Finally, all permissions had been received, a house in Cairo had been purchased through the help of a relative of Sister Catherine, thus a party of six nuns set out for Egypt, led by the Abbess herself. They arrived in Cairo on September 14, 1859 and immediately set about gathering children to teach and going out among the poor to care for the sick. They soon learned Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
to make their mission effective. Sister Catherine provided much of the leadership of the new foundation, due to the poor health of the Abbess. In the Chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
of 1863, she herself was elected as Abbess, and from that time was addressed as Mother Mary Catherine.
The success of the Mission gave rise to the need for more hands. It was at this juncture that the monastic community in Ferentino chose to withdraw from its support of the Mission. Faced with either returning to Italy or closing a Mission that was just beginning to flourish, she and her companions decided to separate from their monastic congregation. They chose to re-organize under the Rule of the Third Order of St. Francis
Third Order of St. Francis
The Third Order of St. Francis is a third order within the Franciscan movement of the Roman Catholic Church. It includes both congregations of vowed men and women and fraternities of men and women living standard lives in the world, usually married...
and received formal approval of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
on November 10, 1868, under the name of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Egypt.
Sisters of Cairo
Immediately after receiving the approval of the new congregation by Pope Pius IX, Mother Catherine and nine members of the original community made profession of religious vowsReligious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
under the new Rule. They were joined by nine new novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
s in taking the new habit. Soon new missions were founded throughout Egypt, and then abroad, in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and Jerusalem. The work of the congregation developed under Mother Catherine's leadership for nearly two decades, until she fell ill while in Cairo during Eastertide
Eastertide
Eastertide, or the Easter Season, or Paschal Time, is the period of fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday.It is celebrated as a single joyful feast, indeed as the "great Lord's Day". Each Sunday of the season is treated as a Sunday of Easter, and, after the Sunday of the Resurrection,...
1887. She died there the following May 6th. Mother Catherine was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
by Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
John Paul II in 1985.
The congregation today
The congregation is now called the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of MaryImmaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
. The work of the Sisters continued to spread through the continent of Africa, expanding to West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, and then to both North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
as well as to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. They now number some 900 Sisters and serve in 15 countries on 5 continents.