History

 

Beginning of the Sisters of Mary of the Miraculous Medal

Mother Brandis, founder of the Sisters of Mary of the Miraculous Medal

Congregation of the Sisters of Mary of the Miraculous Medal (SMMM), whose main residence is in Ljubljana in Slovenia, was founded in 1878. godine by merits and zeal of the Sister Léopoldine Brandis, who was part of Saint Vincent de Paul congregation (Daughters of Charity).

Mother Léopoldine, since the first years of her leadership, sent Sisters to take care of the sick in their homes. That activity was well organized in Ljubljana. After that, when the Daughters of Charity took over the management of their hospital, that activity slowed down with probable suggestion of the superiors, since then current rules didn’t allow for the night care in the homes of the sick.

Mother Léopoldine continuously recieves requests from the families of the sick for this service which she couldn’t provide. Contrast of her charity and the obedience to superiors caused spiritual pain. She realised she wanted to do something: but didn’t want to rush anything. She prayed and considered advice for her enlightenment.
Finally the decision ensued: she alone will find and educate young people to entrust them with this ministry. She already knew some of them who volunteered to care for the ill but for various reasons couldn’t become a part of the Daughters of Charity.

In 1860, she initiated them in the spiritual formation and educated them for the care of the ill. That experience lasted for a year. After that, she started to send them into the homes of the poorest patients. Since the number of the volunteers started to grow, some committed to the service in the hospitals. People gave them the name sister nurses and that denomination still holds. Several years later they became assistants to the Daughters of Charity in all the houses of the province.

On July 16. 1878. they receieved the religious habit from Mother Léopoldine. The first three Sisters receieved the habit in the Saint Joseph hospice in Ljubljana. Noting that the divine blessing was on the new institution and it ensures its future, she arranged a short ordinance to give unity to their lives, foremost she gave them standards and rules for their spiritual life.

History of the Sisters of Mary of the Miraculous Medal in Benin

On December 17th 1988, two Sisters (Dorotea Dundjer and Maristela Galic) of Croatian ethnicity stepped foot for the first time on Benin’s soil to answer the call of the honorable late monsignor Vincent Mensah. They arrived in Cotonou at 5 AM. Monsignor Vincent Mensah came to greet them accompanied by the holy fathers Jacob Affogno, Franjo Jacmenica, Toni Stefan and Albert Bodjreno. After they resided in the pastoral centre Ouando with the Sisters of Saint Augustin from Benin (SSA), Sisters joined their first missionary village “Affamé” in the August of 1989. They were greeted by the father Jacob Affognon. Despite the difficulties of not having electricity or running water and the existing language barrier, Sisters were determined in starting their mission. They accompanied priests on their travels through villages to introduce themselves to the reality of the new place of mission. With time they established the apostolate in the villages that were hardest to reach. To help the work of the first missionaries, several years later, Sisters Natalija Beslic, Jerneja Zerjava and Danijela Dropulja arrived in Benin with the same goal.

Presence of the Sisters of Mary of the Miraculous Medal in Benin

Our lord blessed the presence of the Sisters in Benin. Little by little the mission grew and spread. To better ensure this mission, Sisters of Mary of the Miraculous Medal are deployed in the three dioceses of Benin. Those are:

      • Community of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Porto-Novo diocese)
      • Community of Our Lady of Fatima (Porto-Novo diocese)
      • Community of the Holy Family (Porto-Novo diocese)
      • Community of Saint Joseph (Porto-Novo diocese)
      • Community of Saint Louise de Marillac (Parakou diocese)
      • Community of Our Lady of Rosary (N’Dali diocese)