Franciscan Handmaids of Mary
Encyclopedia
The Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary are a predominantly African-American religious congregation of Roman Catholic women who follow the Rule of the Third Order of St. Francis
of Assisi
. Their primary mission has always been education, primarily of the children of the African-American community. The congregation was founded in 1916, in Savannah, Georgia
, by Fr. Ignatius Lissner, S.M.A.
, in response to threatened segregation of teachers in Negro
schools by state legislator
s.
To forestall the expected effects on the black children of the state, Father Lissner recruited Mother Mary Theodore Williams to help found a congregation of African-American women to teach these children. The bill never passed, but the Sisters found little support in Georgia. Thus it was decided that the motherhouse
of the congregation be moved to the Harlem
neighborhood of New York City in 1924, where it has remained.
At its height in the 1960s, the congregation counted 80 Sisters. As of 2001, they were down to 21 Sisters, mostly in their sixties or older.
Third Order of St. Francis
The Third Order of St. Francis is a third order within the Franciscan movement of the Roman Catholic Church. It includes both congregations of vowed men and women and fraternities of men and women living standard lives in the world, usually married...
of Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
. Their primary mission has always been education, primarily of the children of the African-American community. The congregation was founded in 1916, in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, by Fr. Ignatius Lissner, S.M.A.
Society of African Missions
The Society of African Missions is a Roman Catholic missionary organization. Its members come from around the world with a commitment to serve the people of Africa and those of African descent....
, in response to threatened segregation of teachers in Negro
Negro
The word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
schools by state legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
s.
To forestall the expected effects on the black children of the state, Father Lissner recruited Mother Mary Theodore Williams to help found a congregation of African-American women to teach these children. The bill never passed, but the Sisters found little support in Georgia. Thus it was decided that the motherhouse
Motherhouse
The term motherhouse is used by religious Orders and religious congregations to designate the principal house or community for that group. It can be either for the entire institute or for a region....
of the congregation be moved to the Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
neighborhood of New York City in 1924, where it has remained.
At its height in the 1960s, the congregation counted 80 Sisters. As of 2001, they were down to 21 Sisters, mostly in their sixties or older.