This first foundation 75 years ago was spearheaded by three Spanish Sisters who came to the US to learn English and the American system of education. During that time, several young women met the Sisters and joined their community, including the first four American Daughters of Mary Immaculate: Laola Hironaka (Sr. Mary Laura), Marie Abmayr (Sr. Mary Chaminade), Dorothy Hagan (Sr. Ellen Marie), and Grace Luther (Sr. Mary Ann). Ancestors of Courage: A History of the Marianist Sisters in the United States describes the experience of these early Sisters:
“Those of us Americans who came to San Antonio from the east coast, the midwest or Hawaii felt like we were coming to another country - even though we were still in the United States and the community was already established at that point! … It surely was a ‘leap into the darkness.’ The legacy these Sisters left us were their spirit of faith, dedication to Mary Mother of Jesus, focus on Her ministry of leading others to Her Son, and an intense prayer life. Their loyalty to their community was steadfast and never wavered. They came to implant the FMI in the United States and gave themselves completely to this mission.” (Ancestors of Courage: A History of the Marianist Sisters in the United States (San Antonio: Daughters of Mary Immaculate, 1999), 5-6.)
Today the Marianist Sisters in the US have communities in San Antonio, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. They serve in education, social justice ministry, pastoral ministry, and many other professions. Their mission is to participate in faith communities; help build a Church and society where all are included; respond to the poverties of our time, especially economic poverty; remain active with concerns of women; and maintain a global perspective while educating themselves and others regarding the interconnectedness of our global society. (“Who We Are: The Daughters of Mary,” The Marianists, November 28, 2017, https://www.marianist.com/FMI-identity.) We are grateful for the continued commitment and contributions of the Marianist Sisters within the Marianist Family.
To learn more about the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, visit our resources page. If you would like to hear a first-hand account of the Sisters’ early years in the United States, listen to Sharing Our Marianist Stories Episode 7: Go to Europe, Become a Sister with Sr. Marie Abmayr, FMI.
Published in the October 2024 edition of the NACMS Newsletter.