Did you know…
1. Our August pilgrimage typically draws over 4,000 and as many as 10,000 faithful? Good thing we have plenty of parking.
2. The pilgrimage has been run continuously since 1954, when Dwight Eisenhower was president?
3. The Sloatsburg property and buildings were once owned by the daughter of the famous J. P. Morgan?
4. St. Mary’s Villa, formerly Table Rock House, has 52 rooms?
5. …and every single room had a fireplace (that must have kept the chimney sweeps in business!).
6. The largest SSMI province is SSMI-Brazil – St. Michael the Archangel Province, with over 300 sisters?
7. The St. Joseph Adult Care Home was converted from horse stables? Don’t worry, the horses are long gone.
8. On the day of our founding, August 27, 1892, our congregation sat down for supper for the first time but they were so poor that they didn’t even have utensils. Always practical, our Foundress Blessed Josaphata simply divided the bread by hand!
9. One of our sisters is an expert auto mechanic and plays the accordion?
10. SSMI now has a presence in 13 countries!
11. SSMI-US has had long-term visiting sisters from Ukraine, Slovakia, and Brazil to learn English and help us out?
12. Sister Bernard’s sisters +Alphonse and Chrysantha were also members of SSMI? They were known as the “ABC Sisters.” Can you figure out why?