Sisters of Mary Reparatrix

Communities of the congregation began to be established throughout France, the first being in Paris. By the time of her death in Florence, Italy, in 1878, Mother Mary of Jesus had overseen the founding of 20 communities of the Sisters in India, England, Belgium, La Reunion, Italy, Mauritius, Ireland and Spain.

Within two years of their foundation, the Sisters of Mary Repartrix were invited to establish a community in India, in the Apostolic Vicariate of Madurai, which had been confided by the Holy See to the care of the Society of Jesus. The Sisters were to have the task of the formation of a native congregation of Religious Sisters, as well as being involved in other apostolic activities.^[2] This was their first expansion outside France.

Seven Sisters sailed from the port of Marseille in November 1859. A foundation was made in Trichinopoly, followed in 1863 in Tuticorin and in 1864 in Adeilkalabouram. Apart from the native Indian Sisters, they primarily worked with the local widows of the region.^[1] A young novice, Sister Mary of the Passion, was sent to this mission in 1865, where, due to the trust she had gained with the foundress, she was immediately appointed as the Provincial Superior of the communities in India after she professed her religious vows.

In 1874 a new house was founded in Ootacamund, which re-ignited a series of disputes which had previously taken place in the Indian convents. This led to the departure of Mother Mary of the Passion and 19 of the other Sisters of Mary Reparatrix from that congregation. By January 1877, these 20 women had obtained papal approval to form a new congregation, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, which brought medical care to the women of India, otherwise prevented from receiving this at the hands of male physicians. As of 2011, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary formed the fifth largest religious institute for women in the Catholic Church, with 6,698 members.^[3]

This was not the only offshoot of the congregation. The Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus were founded in Spain that same year by two sisters who had joined the congregation shortly before.^[4]

In 1908, the Sisters began a community on the lower west side of Manhattan, and took up residence at the former St. Leo's Church on West 28th Street.^[5] Retreat work remains a significant part of their ministry, as well as visiting the sick, and making altar bread.^[6] As of 2024, some ten sisters remain in the United States, with communities in Michigan and Queens, New York.

The Sisters followed the directives of the Second Vatican Council which took place in the 1960s and looked at their origins in renewing their way of life for modern times. As a result, they opted to change from living in cloistered monasteries to small communities in socially marginal areas. They also expanded their mission from an exclusive focus on retreats to include training programs for the poor.^[7] In Entebbe, Uganda the sisters operate a guest house and spirituality center.^[8] In 2017, the community celebrated their centennial anniversary of ministry in Uganda.^[9]

At present there are communities of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix in 22 nations throughout Europe, Africa and both North and South America.^[10] Total as of December 31, 2016 are as follows: Total 525 Sisters of which 483 are Perpetual professed sisters, 34 Temporary professed sisters, 8 Novices (6:Madagascar, 1: Uganda, 1 Congo). Opening of Houses are in Mexico in Guadalajara-Nueva Santa Maria, on March 17, 2016, and in San Luis Potosí-Cristo Misionero, on September 15, 2016. In Kenya, the sisters are involved in running a center where for deprived girls are taught embroidering, tailoring, hair dressing, food nutrition and other short courses.^[11]