Sisters of Social Service
Encyclopedia
The Sisters of Social Service are a Roman Catholic order of women founded in Hungary
in 1923 by Margaret Slachta
. The sisters adopted the social mission of the Catholic Church and Benedictine
spirituality with a special devotion to the Holy Spirit
.
, who was a pioneer in social service, and a leading political figure, who trained other women for political action and in 1920 became the first woman elected to the Hungarian Parliament
. She was inspired by the social and economic turmoil in Europe following the first World War
when tens of thousands of people were living in wretched conditions across the continent. Hungary
had seen its territory reduced by some sixty percent by the Allies
and was also suffering from waves of political terror by competing forces, as well as conquest by Romania
of much of its eastern regions.
along with some of her coworkers to carry out their commitment to care for the needy and suffering around them. This congregation
was established in 1923 under the name of the Sisters of Social Service. The members of the Society made the social mission of the Church the motivating thrust of their lives. They embraced Benedictine
spirituality
and had a special devotion to the Holy Spirit
. The Sisters dedicated themselves to God by vow
s.
Like many earlier religious communities of women which arose in similar social conditions (e.g., the Sisters of the Visitation
and the Ursulines
) the Sisters saw their commitment as being out on the street, involved in the daily struggles of the poor, and they structured their way of life to serve this ministry
. To this end, in place of the traditional religious habit
of floor-length robes and veils, they adopted simple gray suits as worn by other women of the day. Their aim was to be involved in the social organizations serving these aims. This was to be lived through a daily routine directed by the Rule of Saint Benedict.
The Sisters quickly followed the massive emigration of the Hungarian population around the world, especially to Canada
and California
. From the beginning, the Sisters provided charitable services to the poor. They founded and maintained schools to train social workers, organized and led Christian women’s movements, worked on Christian formation and served on city councils. They were, in effect, the first religious congregation of social workers in the United States.
and the outbreak of World War II
. While continuing their commitment to social justice, they also worked to protect their Jewish neighbors. Many of them were sheltered in homes organized and run by members of the congregation on an individual, voluntary commitment, so as to protect the larger community of Sisters.
One member, Sister Sára Salkaházi
, made such a commitment. In the presence of the Sister Superior, she signed a document committing herself to the care of a house of refuge, and in which she declared that she, and she alone, was responsible for it. On December 27, 1944, members of the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross
movement surrounded the hostel she ran and began to arrest the Jewish women being sheltered there, along with a Christian volunteer. Sister Sara arrived during the raid, and identified herself as the director of the house. She was immediately arrested and taken with the other women to the banks of the Danube
, where they were all stripped and shot, and their bodies then thrown into the river. Hers was never recovered.
On September 17, 2006, with the authorization of Pope
Benedict XVI, she was beatified
in Budapest
by the Cardinal
Primate
of Hungary as a martyr
. She is the first Hungarian to be honored by the Catholic Church in this way who was not a member of the Hungarian royal family
.
The entire congregation is credited with having saved the lives of about one thousand Jews from the Nazis.
. As a result, they quickly each became independent of Europe. The Sisters in the United States
were headquartered in Los Angeles, California
, while those in Canada were in Toronto
.
The Sisters in the United States were led by Sister Frederica Horvath who had been one of the founding members of the sisterhood.
. The American one also works in Mexico
, the Philippines
and Taiwan
.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1923 by Margaret Slachta
Margit Slachta
Margit Slachta was a Hungarian social activist. In 1920 she was the first woman to be elected to the Hungarian diet, and in 1923 she founded the Sisters of Social Service, a Roman Catholic order of women..-Biography:...
. The sisters adopted the social mission of the Catholic Church and Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
spirituality with a special devotion to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
.
Founder
The order was founded by Margaret SlachtaMargit Slachta
Margit Slachta was a Hungarian social activist. In 1920 she was the first woman to be elected to the Hungarian diet, and in 1923 she founded the Sisters of Social Service, a Roman Catholic order of women..-Biography:...
, who was a pioneer in social service, and a leading political figure, who trained other women for political action and in 1920 became the first woman elected to the Hungarian Parliament
National Assembly of Hungary
The National Assembly or Diet is the parliament of Hungary. The unicameral body consists of 386 members elected to 4-year terms. Election of members is based on a complex system involving both area and list election; parties must win at least 5% of the popular vote in order to enter list members...
. She was inspired by the social and economic turmoil in Europe following the first World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when tens of thousands of people were living in wretched conditions across the continent. Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
had seen its territory reduced by some sixty percent by the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
and was also suffering from waves of political terror by competing forces, as well as conquest by Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
of much of its eastern regions.
A new religious order
A dedicated Catholic, Margaret was led to form a religious orderReligious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
along with some of her coworkers to carry out their commitment to care for the needy and suffering around them. This congregation
Congregation (catholic)
The term "congregation" has three usages specific to the Roman Catholic Church. One concerns the Roman Curia, the other two concern religious institutes.- Roman Curia :...
was established in 1923 under the name of the Sisters of Social Service. The members of the Society made the social mission of the Church the motivating thrust of their lives. They embraced Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
and had a special devotion to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
. The Sisters dedicated themselves to God by vow
Vow
A vow is a promise or oath.-Marriage vows:Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedding ceremony. Marriage customs have developed over history and keep changing as human society develops...
s.
Like many earlier religious communities of women which arose in similar social conditions (e.g., the Sisters of the Visitation
Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary
The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary or the Visitation Order is a Roman Catholic religious order for women. Members of the order are also known as Filles de Sainte-Marie, Visitandines, Salesian Sisters and, more commonly, Visitationists.- History of the order :The Order was founded in 1610 by...
and the Ursulines
Ursulines
The Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
) the Sisters saw their commitment as being out on the street, involved in the daily struggles of the poor, and they structured their way of life to serve this ministry
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
. To this end, in place of the traditional religious habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
of floor-length robes and veils, they adopted simple gray suits as worn by other women of the day. Their aim was to be involved in the social organizations serving these aims. This was to be lived through a daily routine directed by the Rule of Saint Benedict.
The Sisters quickly followed the massive emigration of the Hungarian population around the world, especially to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. From the beginning, the Sisters provided charitable services to the poor. They founded and maintained schools to train social workers, organized and led Christian women’s movements, worked on Christian formation and served on city councils. They were, in effect, the first religious congregation of social workers in the United States.
World War II
The foundress, Sister Margaret, and the other Sisters faced new challenges with the rise of NazismNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. While continuing their commitment to social justice, they also worked to protect their Jewish neighbors. Many of them were sheltered in homes organized and run by members of the congregation on an individual, voluntary commitment, so as to protect the larger community of Sisters.
One member, Sister Sára Salkaházi
Sara Salkahazi
Blessed Sára Salkaházi, S.S.S. , born as Sára Schalkház, was a Hungarian Roman Catholic religious sister who saved the lives of approximately one hundred Jews during World War II...
, made such a commitment. In the presence of the Sister Superior, she signed a document committing herself to the care of a house of refuge, and in which she declared that she, and she alone, was responsible for it. On December 27, 1944, members of the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross
Arrow Cross
A cross whose arms end in arrowheads is called a "cross barby" or "cross barbee" in the traditional terminology of heraldry. In Christian use, the ends of this cross resemble the barbs of fish hooks, or fish spears...
movement surrounded the hostel she ran and began to arrest the Jewish women being sheltered there, along with a Christian volunteer. Sister Sara arrived during the raid, and identified herself as the director of the house. She was immediately arrested and taken with the other women to the banks of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, where they were all stripped and shot, and their bodies then thrown into the river. Hers was never recovered.
On September 17, 2006, with the authorization of Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Benedict XVI, she was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
by the Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
of Hungary as a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. She is the first Hungarian to be honored by the Catholic Church in this way who was not a member of the Hungarian royal family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
.
The entire congregation is credited with having saved the lives of about one thousand Jews from the Nazis.
Separation
The outbreak of the war and the subsequent occupation of Hungary by Communist forces had led to an separation of the communities of the Sisters in the United States and Canada from the mother house in BudapestBudapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. As a result, they quickly each became independent of Europe. The Sisters in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were headquartered in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, while those in Canada were in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The Sisters in the United States were led by Sister Frederica Horvath who had been one of the founding members of the sisterhood.
Present
Today the three separate congregations established from the work of Sister Margaret are formed into a federation to honor their joint commitment to her vision. They serve around the globe, with the European congregation serving in Eastern Europe, as well as in CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. The American one also works in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.