Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary

The community of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary is the first of the six secular institutes founded by Father Joseph Kentenich. Our community was founded on October lst, 1926. As an institute of consecrated life we exercise the evangelical counsels without taking vows.

Our aim is to be a community of lay leaders formed by Schoenstatt’s spirituality, and as a member of the Schoenstatt Family, contribute to the Marian formation of the world in Christ so that a Marian Father Kingdom is built up on the shores of a new era.

As an explicit community of educators and education the special aim of the Institute is the Marian formation of girls, women, and families.

Therefore we work within the Schoenstatt Movement, some of us on a full-time basis at the service of the movement for women and the family branch. This is our main apostolate. We also work in every occupation open to women in the Church and secular fields.

We have an adoration branch which fosters the contemplative life. They are the power of love which supports the apostolic activity of our institute, Schoenstatt as a whole, and the Church by their prayer, sacrifice, and atonement.

We are here to serve the Church through the formation of lay leaders who in turn are to be active in various ministries within the Church, particularly in parishes. Our sisters also work within the Church in parishes and in various organizations.

As an international community we number 2,500. We have one province in the USA of about 150 sisters. The provincial house is in Wisconsin. Our mission has taken us to reach out to different states of the USA, such as Texas, New York, Nebraska, Minnesota, Florida, and Indiana. The development of our community in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic is also coordinated from Wisconsin.