The presence of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Sri Lanka began with the arrival of 6 sisters sent by Mother Mary of the Passion in March 1886 in answer to the request of Bishop Mgr. Christopher Bonjean OMI, of the Diocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
English education for girls was the need of that time, and the place chosen was Moratuwa in the diocese of Colombo. Their life began with a warm welcome given to them from the time they arrived at the Railway Station, and this welcome gesture continued right up to Our Lady of Victories convent, which was the name given to this convent by the Parishioners of Moratuwa.
The education of the girls in Moratuwa led them to open a boarding school, and later a Sinhalese school, a work-room (“atelier”), weaving centre, an industrial school and an orphanage. Little by little, the charitable services of the FMM reached out to all kinds of people!
In the same year, 1886, the government also felt the need of nursing sisters for the General Hospital, to take care of the sick, and requested the Vicar General, Fr. Boisseau, to ask for sisters. Another 6 sisters arrived in June 1886! The house given to them was called, St. Peter’s House.
The services in the hospital too developed, and many poor people profited from these services. The sisters at St Peter’s also had another responsibility, that of welcoming the priests and all the other religious who arrived by ship.
The main aspects of our Charism, reaching out to the poor people where the church is least present was evident! We promoted the education of the poor, the marginalized (Veddhas), and made a clear option to live among those who do not yet know Christ (Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims)! We also responded to the invitation to work among the Hansen patients in Hendala, Batticoloa and Mannar. Sisters also started visiting the Hansen patients who were living in their own homes.
We visited the prisoners – those who were still behind bars, and we continued to visit them in their homes after they were released.
Wherever we were inserted, we helped in the parishes, preparing children, youth and adults for the sacraments, including the adults who wanted to be baptized. We started nursery schools wherever we were inserted with the motivation of giving them a solid foundation of human values. We also started coaching classes for the slow-learners in the rural areas, with the motivation of helping them with with a solid foundation for their education. Our only goal was to spread the Kingdom values (gospel values).
Today, we are in 9 dioceses, working in collaboration with the Bishops, the parish priests, and with other religious congregations and associations, journeying together, “being yeast hidden in the dough.”
For 83 years, we were an independent region, but a part of St. Joseph’s province which included India, China, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, England, Ireland and Malta. We became an independent province in 1969. Due to the recent re-structuration process in the whole Institute, we are now a part of the SVP region (Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Philippines).
From the time we were founded in Sri Lanka, we had vocations! The 1st Sri Lankan novice entered the novitiate in 1900! Since then, we have had 295 novices. 43 sisters have been “sent” on mission to other provinces.
Our novitiate was opened in 1931, in Mattakuliya, (Colombo 15), and since then, 150 novices have entered in Colombo also from other countries such as India, Africa, and Malaysia. 440 sisters have been missioned to our Island from Spain, France, Scotland, England, Germany, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Russia, Poland, Italy, India, Canada, America, and Australia. Pakistan, Myanmar, and Indonesia. 237 sisters have gone to their reward! RIP! They have all been buried in Sri Lanka.
There was also a request from the government to take care of the sick in the hospitals in Ragama, and the Hansen patients in Hendala, Mannar and Manthivu. The need of education for the children of these patients prompted the sisters to open schools, boarding houses, and orphanages in Moratuwa, Hatton and Batticaloa.
During the past 137 years, 41 houses have been opened, and 7 houses were closed after a few years when there was no more need for them to continue. Another 10 houses have been closed for various reasons. 5 houses were transferred from place to place within dioceses, and 3 communities were amalgamated. At present, we are 122 sisters in 17 communities, serving our Lord, amidst joys and struggles! We always try to keep in mind our FMM Charism bequeathed to us by Blessed Mary of the Passion, in all its richness, and be Instruments of Peace, in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi, striving to be simple and humble like Bl. Maria Assuntha, ready to give up our lives, inspired by our 7 martyrs of China! Our presence in Sri Lanka began like a mustard seed, and today, it has spread to all parts of the island!
Contemplation and Adoration of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is our strength and inspiration! Glory and Praise to the Lord for all the graces experienced in our lives!