Mary Reparatrix, Society of
MARY REPARATRIX, SOCIETY OF
The Society of Mary Reparatrix (SMR) is a religious community of women with papal approbation in the spirituality of St. ignatius of loyola. The sisters engage in contemplative prayer, catechetics, retreats and spiritual direction, pastoral ministries, social outreach, and making altar breads.
The foundress of the congregation was Baroness Emilie d'Hooghvorst (1818–78), daughter of Count d'Oultremont of Liège, Belgium, later (1840) Belgian minister to the Holy See. At 19 years of age Emilie was married to Baron Victor d'Hooghvorst. She bore four children before her husband's early death ten years later. Two of her children subsequently joined Mother Mary of Jesus (Emilie's name in religion) in establishing her community. Under the spiritual direction of the Jesuits, particularly that of Paul Ginhac (1824–95), the Society of Mary Reparatrix was canonically established in Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine, in May of 1857. The congregation later made foundations throughout Europe and in the Americas. The generalate is in Rome; the U.S. provincialate is in Riverview, Michigan.
[m. lavin/eds.]