Franciscan Missionaries of Mary

Franciscan Missionaries of Mary

Blessed Mary of the Passion, Foundress

“Where there are people there is mission�

One Vision

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ranciscan Missionaries of Mary are Sisters who live in international communities throughout the world, especially in areas where Christ is least known and the Church least present.

Their lives are centred on Christ, with whom they are united in the daily celebration of the Eucharist, times of Adoration and personal and community prayer.

Christ sends them out to their brothers and sisters in whom they discover His hidden presence.

In the spirit of St Francis of Assisi they journey with them in the simplicity and joy of Gospel living.

The Franciscan Missionaries of Mary realize their vocation within the Franciscan way, living the Gospel in the midst of the world and following in the steps of the poor and humble Christ, in

Missionary Spirituality A specific missionary spirituality has been characteristic of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary since the beginning.

It commits them to bear witness to the Gospel by their way of life and by proclamation.

of God for the life of the world.

Ecumenical collaboration and dialogue with all who sincerely seek truth and justice characterise their way of mission throughout the world.

The Franciscan Missionaries of Mary live and share together in international communities, which are a path and sign of peace, hope, reconciliation and communion in a fragmented world. This meeting of cultures lived in community is already “Good News�.

This spirituality is centred in the Eucharist. At its heart is the image of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who gave herself totally to the plan

simplicity, peace and joy.

They live their mission in communities of faith, in a spirit of minority, justice, peace and integrity of creation

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Blessed Mary of the Passion Foundress of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary

Hélène de Chappotin was born in Nantes, France, on May 21, 1839.

She spent most of her childhood very happily with her parents, two brothers, two sisters, uncle and aunt and six cousins. The early death of one of her cousins followed by that of her two older sisters influenced her young life profoundly.

In 1856, Hélène had a spiritual experience which coloured her whole life - God revealed to her His love and His beauty. She became convinced that she was called to the religious life, but then came the sudden death of her mother who could not resign herself to her daughter’s vocation. Helene’s plans were put on hold.

but continued to pray and to seek guidance. Finally, in 1864 she was advised to enter with the Sisters of Marie Reparatrice in Paris. There she received the name of Mary of the Passion and was sent on mission to India where she spent eleven years engaged in fruitful missionary activity and was entrusted with positions of responsibility.

In 1860 a change in family circumstances permitted Hélène to enter the Poor Clares in Nantes.

Just a year later ill health forced her to leave. She was heartbroken

In 1876, a series of painful circumstances led her to leave the Congregation of Marie Reparatrice 4

together with twenty other Sisters.

She went to Rome to present the situation to the judgment of the Church and on January 6, 1877, Pope Pius IX authorised the foundation of the Missionaries of Mary. In 1882 the Sisters of the new Institute were adopted into the Franciscan Order, thus realising the original dream of the young Hélène.

hospitals and community health clinics but seeing the needs of lepers in her day, she appealed to the courage and generosity of her Sisters to accept the risk of caring for them.

As the years went by, in spite of her declining health, there was never any lessening of Mary of the Passion’s burning desire to make God known and loved. She died peacefully in San Remo, Italy on November 15, 1904.

She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 20, 2002.

Vocations came in great numbers and soon Mary of the Passion was able to send her Sisters to all the corners of the earth. She opened new communities in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Some were situated in rural areas, others in the poorest quarters of the big cities. Mary of the Passion’s preference was for the Sisters to live and work among the poor. Seeing the need for the emancipation and advancement of women, besides opening schools and domestic science and agricultural training centres, she also set up workrooms where, while learning special skills and receiving a basic education, the trainees could earn a living wage. In the field of health care, she not only opened 5

The Seven FMM Martyrs

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aints Marie Hermine and her Companions were beatified in 1946 and then canonised by Pope John Paul II in October 2000.

In 1898, Mgr. Francisco Fagolla, Coadjutor Bishop of Shanxi, China, visited Rome, looking for a community of missionary religious to answer the many needs of his diocese in the fields of health care, education, empowerment of women, catechesis, etc.

When he met Mary of the Passion, she listened attentively to his request. It was clear that the situation would be dangerous and difficult, but after a long period of reflection she accepted the challenge and began looking among her sisters to see who could be chosen for this new mission.

The seven Sisters who arrived in Taiyuan-fu in Shanxi, in May 1899 were from France, Holland, Italy and Belgium. During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, they gave their lives for their faith and for those in their care. On hearing the news of their death, Mary of the Passion referred to them as “My seven sorrows and my seven joys”

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Blessed Maria Assunta

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aria Assunta Pallotta was born on August 10, 1878, at Force, a small village in the Marches in Italy. While still a child, family circumstances obliged her to earn her living by helping workers employed in manual labour. Later she became the assistant of the village tailor. Having experienced God’s call, in 1898 she entered the Institute of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

Assunta was sent on mission to China where she died of typhus in 1905. When Pope St Pius X heard of the extraordinary occurrences surrounding her death, he said ‘Her cause must be introduces’. She was beatified by Pope Pius XII on November 7, 1954.

In a letter she wrote to her parents, Assunta has left us a message: “I ask the Lord for the grace of making known to the world purity of intention which consists in doing everything for the love of God, even the most ordinary actions.”

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Our Mission today We are called to be GOSPEL WOMEN And to live as DISCIPLES SENT ON UNIVERSAL MISSION In the world of today

In a divided world, we seek to live as sisters in international and intercultural communities in sharing, communion and non-exclusion. In a world marked by violence and a culture of death, we seek to promote non-violence and the defence of life. In a consumer society, we seek to witness to simplicity of life.

Our world today is marked by globalisation and in this reality we endeavour: • To give a prophetic response in face of the effects of globalisation on the poor, on the marginalised and on the environment • To view the world and its realities from a feminine perspective • To make our own Mary of he Passion’s strong option for women Our missionary priority is to engage in projects in favour of displaced persons, especially women, in the most disadvantaged situations.

How does one become a Franciscan Missionary of Mary?

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young woman may come to know the charism of our Institute through meeting one or more of our Sisters or through reading books. If she feels drawn to this way of life she goes through a process of discernment and is helped to verify her call.

The pre-novitiate - Once her vocation seems clear, she will spend about a year living with a community of FMM Sisters. During this time she learns more about the charism and continues to discern her call and her aptitude to live the FMM life.

The noviciate - If this does indeed seem to be the path along which God is leading her, she begins a period of more intensive formation which lasts at least two years. The novice prepares for her temporary profession by deepening her knowledge of the spirituality of the Institute, its universal mission and the value and obligations of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Religious profession - These vows are made initially for three years, giving the Sister further opportunity to experience community life and mission in her own or another country and so complete her discernment before making her final commitment. At her final profession, the Superior General of the Institute will assign the sister to a mission which may be in any country of the world where there is an FMM presence.

If you would like more information please contact: FMM 233, Isouard Street, Marsa Tel: 2723 3249 • E-mail: fmmmarsa@onvol.net or 82, St. Francis Street, Balzan Tel: 2128 2896 • E-mail: fmmmalta@yahoo.com or visit our Websites: www.fmmmalta.com - www.fmm.org - www.fmmuk.org

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Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Malta On 27 January 1911, the FMM were received in the Archdiocese of Malta where Mgr. Pietro Pace was Archbishop. At that time, many parts of the world including Europe, were in a state of unrest preceding World War 1. The FMM were authorised to start a noviciate with 17 sisters hailing from Rome and Portugal. The sisters moved house from Mdina to Attard, then to Birkirkara. Eventually in March 1921 Balzan became the terra firma until the present.

many generous young women who were guided to reach out to persons with special needs due to sickness or family difficulties. When the Maltese were emigrating to Australia, prospective women emigrants were prepared for a better future at the Marian Training Academy. During World War 2 the school hall served as a refuge for the homeless as well as a dispensary. In the mid fifties, kindergarten and primary education were progressively made available to meet the growing needs of that time. The children of vulnerable families were the first to be served.

Today Stella Maris School offers education to close to 600 boys from all strata of society, academically prepared to step over to the Jesuit St. Aloysius College for their secondary education for the past two years the two schools have been integrated.

From the start, the number of FMM, was on the increase. Over the past century Balzan has been a beehive of prayer, long hours of daily Adoration of the Eucharist, the hallmark of every Franciscan Missionary of Mary and a vast variety of missionary activities. In the early days many young women were taught crafts, catechism was taught to children. A Mission Circle attracted

Throughout the years many Maltese 10

FMM were sent far and wide to be of service to humanity in response to their missionary calling.

young families.

In 2010, the communities of Marsa and Balzan are still growing strong.

In both, the Sisters keep alive the primary aim of their FMM vocation in the Church and in Malta through an intense prayer and community life and pastoral work . The Marsa community is welcoming a rebirth of the response to God’s invitation to the Religious life by young women.

At Balzan many people find a haven of peace in the Chapel which is accessible to the public on a daily basis for Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, individual and group prayer.

In 1972, some FMM were installed at Marsa and have since contributed to the life of the Maria Regina Parish run by the Capuchin friars. In 1973 some more FMM established themselves in the Manikata Parish for pastoral work. In 1977, Sisters reached out to boys from families in difficulty at Dar San Guzepp in Ghajnsielem, Gozo.

In 1982, Hal Mula, limits of Zebbug, welcomed the FMM who generously contributed to parish and pastoral work in the midst of the influx of

Minister General, JosĂŠ Rodriguez, Minister Provincial, Sandro Overend with the F.M.M. at the Balzan Chapel 11

In 2009 the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary totalled 6817 Sisters of 80 nationalities spread out in 800 houses in 77 countries around the World.

ASIA

AFRICA Algeria Angola Burkina Faso Cameroon Congo/Congo D.R. Egypt Ethiopia Ghana Kenya Liberia Libya

Madagascar Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Niger Reunion Senegal Seychell South Africa Togo Tunisia

LATIN AND NORTH AMERICA Argentina Ecuador Nolivia Mexico Brazil Nicargua Chile Paraguay Columbia Peru Cuba Uruguay Canada United States Australia 12

China India Indonesia Israel Japan Jordan Korea Lebanon Malaysia

Myanmar Pakistan Palestine Philippines Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Vietnam

EUROPE Austria Belgium Bosnia Faeroe Islands France England Germany Holland Hungry Ireland

Italy Malta Poland Portugal Russia Scotland Slovenia Spain Switzerland Ukraine