Why did Zgromadzenie Si\u00f3str Franciszkanek Rodziny Maryi come to be? It emerged from a time of suppression. The Zgromadzenie Si\u00f3str Franciszkanek Rodziny Maryi stands here as a testament to faith, resilience, and unwavering dedication to serving others.
The Zgromadzenie Si\u00f3str Franciszkanek Rodziny Maryi also known as the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary was founded in 1857 in Saint Petersburg. It was a challenging time for the Catholic Church. Religious orders faced liquidation. The creation of new ones was prohibited.
Father Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski established it. He was a vicar at Saint Catherine’s Church. He later became the Archbishop of Warsaw. Felinski saw a need to help orphans and the neglected. He also wanted to support growing religious vocations. He established “The Refuge for the Poor of the Roman Catholic Faith”. The emperor himself approved its statute in 1859. The sisters of the Family of Mary operated secretly within this institution. They lived a religious life hidden from the Tsarist authorities.
The founder wanted the sisters to emulate Mary Immaculate. They should imitate the virtues of the Holy Family. They would become a new family for orphans and the poor. They would provide a home and familial warmth. The Zgromadzenie Si\u00f3str Franciszkanek Rodziny Maryi historically always went where the Church and homeland needed them most.
They worked across Tsarist Russia. This stretched from Saint Petersburg to Odessa and Yalta. From 1862, they developed educational work in Warsaw and its surroundings. Twenty years later, after Felinski’s release from exile, they started working in Galician schools. In 1906, they traveled with Polish emigrants to Brazil. They brought education and faith to them. They upheld their national spirit. After World War I, they established branches in Greater Poland. They also went to Pomerania and the Eastern Borderlands. They periodically worked in Denmark, Yugoslavia, Romania, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. During World War I, the sisters greatly aided the injured. They worked in field hospitals and for the Red Cross.
Between the wars, they worked extensively in education. They organized homes for orphaned children and care facilities.
From 1889, the Zgromadzenie Si\u00f3str Franciszkanek Rodziny Maryi developed in two branches. One branch was Galician. It received papal approval in 1913. The other was the Warsaw branch. Briefly, it joined with the French congregation of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. This lasted from 1908 to 1913. When Poland regained independence, it reunited with the Family of Mary in Lviv in 1919. In 1934, the Family of Mary received final approval from the Holy See. It divided into five provinces. Three were in Poland with headquarters in Lviv, Poznan and Warsaw. The others were in Romania and Brazil. At this time, the congregation thrived. It had 1,120 sisters and 160 religious houses in Poland.
During World War II, the sisters helped the Polish army. They aided the injured in hospitals. They assisted displaced people. They facilitated escapes and hid those being hunted. They cared for prisoners. They conducted secret teaching. They rescued Polish children from Germanization. They protected youth from being deported to Germany for labor. They assisted Polish freedom organizations. They helped poor civilians. They rescued Jews on a large scale. Hundreds of Jewish children owe their lives to them. 140 sisters passed through camps and prisons including Ravensbruck. 500 were repatriated from the Eastern Borderlands. They lost 90 homes and workplaces there.
Today, the Zgromadzenie Si\u00f3str Franciszkanek Rodziny Maryi continues its work. It operates in Poland, Brazil, Italy, Belarus, Ukraine, the Russian Federation and South Africa. In the spirit of their charism, the sisters support families. They dedicate themselves to educating children and youth. They run schools, kindergartens and orphanages. They also run community centers and workshops. They care for the sick and elderly. They work in parishes and various church institutions. The General House, formerly in Lviv, has been in Warsaw since 1946 at Zelazna 97.
The sisters at Zgromadzenie Si\u00f3str Franciszkanek Rodziny Maryi embody compassion. Their story echoes with sacrifice. They are a beacon of hope. Their legacy enriches Warsaw.