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WHO ARE WE?

Origin
Our Institute of the Catechist Sisters of Mary Immaculate Help of Christians, commonly known as the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI) was founded on 12 December ,1948 in Krishnagar, by Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, SDB, the fourth Bishop of Krishnagar, West Bengal, India.

Aim
The aim of our Institute is the holistic development of family: its spiritual, moral, social and material welfare, especially of women, girls and children by making them aware of God’s unconditional love and tender care of them. This is realized by sharing with them our own deep intimacy and personal experience of God, through our various ministries, in imitation of Jesus who went about doing good to all: healing, teaching and always proclaiming the Good News that he came to lead everyone to God, our Father. Thus we live and share our motto, To love God and help others to love God.

Foundation
Bishop Morrow, whom we fondly call Father Bishop, upon taking charge of his diocese of Krishnagar in 1939, realized the great need of educated women religious to reach out to the families to uplift them and to draw them closer to the true God. "We are not going to just wait for the people to come to us, but we shall go to the people, into the villages, towns and into their homes", he said. This vision became a reality when he founded our institute. We carry out his mandate through our main apostolate of home visitation in towns and villages, as well as pastoral, medical, educational, cultural and industrial, and other activities proper to our institute.

Charism
The charism of our congregation is the Abba experience of Jesus - to see God as our most loving and tender Father and to do everything only to please him - according to the Little Way of Spiritual Childhood of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Our Apostolate of Smiling is a unique gift to us from our founder, which he practised and imparted to us as a legacy and means to lead others to God. He has given us also the principles of the Preventive System of St. John Bosco for our life and mission.

Patrons
Our Blessed Mother, Mary Immaculate is the titular patroness of our Institute. Other patrons are St. Joseph, St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St. John Bosco.

Spiritual Nourishment
The Source of our Strength is the daily offering of the Holy Eucharist as our Number One Joy, interiorization of the word of God, Eucharistic Adoration and devotion to our Blessed Mother.

Progress
Over the years, our congregation progressed far beyond our Founder’s expectation, and began to serve also in other dioceses. In 1966 it was granted Papal Right. In 1990 we went into provinces. On 10 June 1992 we became an official member of the Salesian Family. Today we serve in India, Germany, Italy, Tanzania and USA. Our Founder’s catechetical books are updated and circulated by us for the benefit of many, especially the young, formees and families.

What others say...

Our Founder touched the lives of many around him, and for all these he holds a place of singular importance.