The Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate will be celebrating 2 significant dates of their history in the next 2 years, 2009-2010: the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the American Province of the Immaculate Conception and the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first Sisters Servants for mission in the United States.
As early as the 1910’s, Bishop Sotor Ortynsky first invited the Sisters Servants to work among the Ukrainian immigrants here in the U.S. Unfortunately, this was not a possibility at the time, since there were only 19 Sisters Servants in Canada and sending more Sisters from Ukraine was not feasible. In succeeding years other requests were made, but it was not until 1935 that the arrival of the first Sisters Servants in the U.S. became a reality.
In 1935, Sister Elizabeth Kassian, then Provincial Superior of the Canadian Province of Christ the King, was able to respond to the request of Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky (successor of Bishop Sotor), by missioning five sisters to the first U.S. mission – St. Basil Seminary, Stamford, Connecticut. From 1935-1959, the sisters serving in the United States belonged to the Canadian Province. On December 8, 1959, Sister Jerome Chimy, Superior General, established the Immaculate Conception Province, appointing Sister Vincent Yaremovich as the First Provincial Superior.
As we celebrate these milestones in our history, we, the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, are fully aware that our ministry would not have been possible without the love, help and support of so many persons who have worked with us, journeyed with us and allowed us to minister to their needs. All of you have been a vital part of our history.
Keeping you in our hearts and prayers during these coming jubilee years, every month of the year we will be offering our prayers of thanksgiving for the intentions of a selected group of persons who have played a vital part in creating our history in the United States. We will publish our monthly intentions and invite you to join your prayers with ours as we thank God for the privilege of praying with you, working with you and serving you during these last 75 years. Thank you for the opportunity that you have given us to work with you in building the Kingdom of God through our Church in the U.S.
 |