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Cardinal Hayes Home is sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, a Roman Catholic order of women. The foundress of the FMMs was Helene de Chappotin, a woman of a lively and joyful personality, who opened a new way in the church. Helene was born in France in 1839, the youngest of five children. When she was 21 years old, Helene entered the Poor Clare Monastery. It was there that she encountered the spirit of St. Francis, the poor man of Assisi. This experience profoundly influenced her life. Because of poor health, Helene could not continue the austere life of the Poor Clares. In 1864, guided by her spiritual director (but with opposition from her family), Helene entered the newly founded society of Marie Reparatrice where she was known as Mary of the Passion. Sent to India as a missionary, she soon was asked to assume responsibility for the mission. Mary of the Passion's intense missionary activity developed over the next ten years. Various events, compounded by the length of time it took to communicate with her superiors in Europe, led to difficulties. Through struggle and suffering, the Sisters trusted in God, and a number of them, following their consciences, eventually separated themselves from their religious community. Mary of the Passion was among them. With three of her companions, Mary of the Passion left India to go to Rome where she met with Pope Pius IX who, in January 1877, approved the foundation of a new institute, the Missionaries of Mary. This was the first missionary community of women founded by a woman. In 1882, with the encouragement of Pope Leo XIII, the Missionaries of Mary were joined to the Franciscan Order and became known as the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Thus, after many years, Mary of the Passion's path led back to Francis. The
beginnings of this new missionary group were difficult.
Nevertheless, as the Sisters traveled and lived in the four
corners of the world, their lives were characterized by joy,
poverty, simplicity, family spirit, and total abandonment to
the will of God. Today there are 8,000 sisters of 73
nationalities residing and working in 76 countries on all
five continents. You will find the Sisters especially among
the poor and marginalized, those most in need of care and
love. They live in international communities witnessing to
life, peace and hope, and announcing by word and by their
life the Good News of God's unconditional love for all. ~ ~ ~ |
