Brazil 1962

Mère Josépha de Saint-François responded favorably to the call of Pope Pius XII to send priests and religious to Latin America. She charged Sister Loretto Julia Carroll, Provincial Superior of Connecticut, to prepare for this new foundation.  October 26, 1962, five American sisters traveled to Rosario, Brazil.  Sr. Thérèse Drummond (Maryland), Sr. Michael Julie Depweg (Ohio) and Sr. Mary Dominic De Nardo (California) formed the first community. 

In Brazil, the sisters were fully in accord with the perspective of Vatican II and the Medellin (1968) and Puebla (1979) meetings: in a struggle against injustice and in an option for the poor. 

Today , some twenty American and Brazilian sisters work in five villages in the north and northeast of Brazil by accompanying very poor people in their everyday life.  They help the women, children and adolescents to become conscious of their dignity, particularly through Bible study and the process of popular education.  One sister works with several tribes of Indians and restores life to their traditions:  the Village Chief invited her “to teach catechism and writing in their own language the children“.  All the sisters are engaged with the people in the protection of the environment and the rights of people to live freely with dignity. 

At Anapu, in the Amazon forest, protection of the earth is important.  The sisters are engaged in catechesis, celebrations, meetings, courses and visits.  They struggle beside the peasants for the preservation of their rights.  In February 2005, Sr. Dorothy Stang, who defended the rights of families against the big land owners, was murdered by hired killers.