Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in Polish Siostry Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Panny Maryi) are a female religious congregation di diritto pontificio: the members of this congregation add the initials CSIC to their name[1]
History
The congregation was founded in Rome on 25 November 1857 by Marcelina Darowska (1827-1911) with the collaboration of Józefa Karska: Hieronim Kajsiewicz, co-founder of the Resurrectionist Congregation, drafted the first rule for the sisters, inspired by that of the Resurrectionist Congregation. On January 17, 1863 Pope Pius IX granted the foundress the right to move the headquarters of the congregation to Jazłowiec, Poland (archdiocese of Lviv).[2]
The original rule was revised in 1872 by Darowska, which highlighted the specificities of the congregation. Pius IX granted the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception a decretum laudis on May 22, 1863 and approved the congregation on July 29, 1874.[2]
The founder was beatified by John Paul II in 1996.
Activity and diffusion
The Sisters of the Immaculate Conception dedicate themselves to the Christian education of youth and to parish works.[2]
In addition to Poland, they are present in Belarus and Ukraine:[3] lthe headquarters are in Szymanów, in diocese of Łowicz.[1]
As of December 31, 2005, the congregation had 225 nuns in 13 houses.[1]
References
- Ann. Pont. 2007, p. 1616.
- DIP, vol. IV (1977), coll. 1648-1650, voce a cura di C. Zambelli.
- "Siostry Niepokalanki". Retrieved 6 July 2009.
