Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary
Encyclopedia
The Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary, , also known as Siostry Rodziny Maryi, RM, is a Polish female Catholic order. The congregation was established in St. Petersburg during the Partitions of Poland
with the mission to help Polish children stricken by hunger in the Russian Empire
, and to save the impoverished Catholic
parishes persecuted by the Tsarist authorities. The congregation was founded in 1857 by the Warsaw
archbishop
, Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński
, who was beatified by John Paul II during his last pilgrimage to Poland
in 2002, and canonized
by Benedict XVI in 2009. The Sisters base their life on the Franciscan ideals of service to God and to the common people, especially the poorest. The spirit of scarcity is evident in their own standard of life. Dwellings and rooms of the Sisters are furnished in such way as to make the poor and the rich feel humbled. The young postulants don't contribute dowries. The nuns wear black habits with a purple rope. In Poland the Sisters of the Family of Mary conduct educational activities in nursery schools and rehabilitation centres, help at children's homes as well as hospitals and care homes. They help disadvantaged and the homeless by running shelters. They also work in parishes as religion teachers, organists and assistants, as well as in seminaries.
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
with the mission to help Polish children stricken by hunger in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, and to save the impoverished Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
parishes persecuted by the Tsarist authorities. The congregation was founded in 1857 by the Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
, Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński
Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński
Saint Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński, SFO was Archbishop of Warsaw and founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary. He was canonized on 11 October 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.-Early life:...
, who was beatified by John Paul II during his last pilgrimage to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 2002, and canonized
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
by Benedict XVI in 2009. The Sisters base their life on the Franciscan ideals of service to God and to the common people, especially the poorest. The spirit of scarcity is evident in their own standard of life. Dwellings and rooms of the Sisters are furnished in such way as to make the poor and the rich feel humbled. The young postulants don't contribute dowries. The nuns wear black habits with a purple rope. In Poland the Sisters of the Family of Mary conduct educational activities in nursery schools and rehabilitation centres, help at children's homes as well as hospitals and care homes. They help disadvantaged and the homeless by running shelters. They also work in parishes as religion teachers, organists and assistants, as well as in seminaries.