St. Mary of Oregon, Sisters of
ST. MARY OF OREGON, SISTERS OF
(SSMO, Official Catholic Directory #3960); a congregation with papal approbation, founded in Sublimity, Ore., by William H. gross, Archbishop of Portland, in 1886. The constitutions of the congregation were approved by Pius XI in 1934 Gross, with less than 30 priests and few religious teachers, was concerned about providing for the education of children. After testing the sincerity of seven young ladies who desired to consecrate their lives to God and to the services of the Church, he decided to establish his own community of sisters. These young women began their religious training and preparation for the work of teaching under the guidance of two religious brought to Oregon for this purpose from O'Fallon, Missouri. In 1891 the sisters were placed in charge of an orphanage at Beaverton, Oregon. The motherhouse at Sublimity, because of its remoteness from railroad facilities, was transferred to Beaverton about this time. A tract of land was purchased, a new motherhouse built, and in a short time the sisters opened an academy for both resident and day students. The generalate is in Beaverton, Oregon. The principal ministry of the sisters is teaching. In addition, the sisters engage in parish ministries, social outreach and nursing homes.
[m. x. mchugh/eds.]