Our history
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How it began for us
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1877
"The reason for our establishment was the appearance of the Immaculate Virgin to three young country girls in Gietrzwald, Poland" . . . therefore . . . we are called Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate".
Blessed Fr. Honorat, Capuchin
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1878
The Congregation of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate was called to life in the Church on October 7, 1878, (Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary), by Blessed Father Honorat Kozminski, a Polish Franciscan Capuchin.
During the first years of the existence of the Congregation, the main task of the sisters was the apostolate of good example and testimony of a truly Christian life while living individually with the families. They distributed good books, taught catechism, cooperated with the clergy in conducting retreats and spread the prayer of the rosary. After only ten years of existence there was almost a thousand members of the Congregation.
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The brave...
The first sister, Maria Drejka, came to the United States in 1906.
In 1932 she sent two American girls to Poland (Aleksandra Augustynowicz and Helena Grenda) to start their formation. Their decision to leave the safety of their home country for an unknown land and an unknown religious community was an act of great courage. However, they felt that they were fulfilling God's will by doing so. After the first vows, they came back to the US in 1934 and started to work with the sick and elderly people in Baltimore, MD.
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Community is growing
In 1936, a few more sisters joined the community. Some of them came from Poland. During the same year, they purchased a house at 100 Patterson Park Avenue in Baltimore, MD and turned it into a home for children. A few years later, in 1943, they acquired another house with the intention of turning it into a St. Joseph's convalescent aged home.
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American Province
After fifteen years of apostolic work in the United States and the growth in the number of Sisters the General Superior of the Congregation decided to create a separate American Province with headquarters in Catonsville, MD.
The Primate of Poland, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, by decree of October 30, 1952, established the American Province of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate.
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Sisters Today
Today, Sisters Servants continue the mission entrusted to them by Blessed Honorat. Through their consecrated lives and selfless service, they bring the light of God’s love to every place they go, becoming a living testament to His hand at work in the world and within the Church. Wherever they are sent, they strive to be a beacon of hope, faith, and unwavering devotion, revealing God’s enduring presence in history and inspiring all who witness their journey.
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