MARY IMMACULATE, SISTERS SERVANTS OF

(SSMI, Official Catholic Directory #3610); a congregation in the ukrainian catholic church (eastern catholic), founded in Western Ukraine on Aug. 15 1892, under the guidance of Rev. Jeremias Lomnitskyj, a member of the Basilian Fathers (Byzantine), and Rev. Cyril Seletskyj, a diocesan priest who provided the first house for the sisters in Zhuzhel. Nine sisters started their novitiate in that house under the spiritual direction of the Basilian fathers. In 1893 the novitiate was transferred to the town of Krystynopil. The metropolitan of Lvov, Cardinal Silvester Sembratovych, approved the first sketch of the constitutions on May 5, 1892. Later the constitutions were enlarged and approved in 1907 by the metropolitan of Lvov, Andrew Sheptyckyj. In Rome the Congregation for the Oriental Church granted initial approval in 1932, and final approbation was given by Pius XII in 1956. The first superior general of the congregation (Veronica Gargil) was elected at the general chapter held in Lvov in 1934. The sisters established their first foundation in the United States in Stamford, Conn., in 1938. The general motherhouse was later located at

Rome. The U.S. regional headquarters is in Sloatsburg, NY.

The purposes of the congregation are to educate children and youth; nurse and care for the sick and aged in hospitals and homes for the aged; care for orphans and the homeless; do pastoral ministry and social work.

[m. m. wojnar/eds.]