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IHM Founders Day
By Sister Julie | November 10, 2006
Today the IHM Congregation celebrates Founders Day.One hundred and sixty-one years ago in 1845, the IHM Congregation was founded by Father Louis Florent G
illet, CSsR, and Mother Theresa Duchemin Maxis in the pioneer country of Michigan. Charlotte Shaaf and Theresa Renauld along with Theresa Maxis were the first sisters of our congregation. They assembled in the small town of Monroe where they would live in a log cabin on the shore of the River Raisin. Here’s what happened on the morning of November 10 (from No Greater Service by Sister Rosalita Kelly, IHM, page 58).
On the morning of November 10, the three women met in the church for the Mass which Father Gillet offered. After Mass, he returned to the sanctuary in surplice and stole and motioned them to come to the altar rail. Reciting a prayer over them, he rested the stole for a moment on the shoulder of each. There was probably no precedent for the little ceremony in any ritual, but to the three pioneers it signified cooperation in the work of the Church. They were filled with a great peace as they returned across the way to the little house on the north shore of the river.
Little did Theresa and Louis know that from their foundation in Monroe would spring three congregations of IHM sisters ministering throughout the world and still thriving today. Our three congregations are the IHMs of Monroe, Michigan (of which I am a member), the IHMs of Immaculata, Pennsylvania, and the IHMs of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Our foundation would not have happened without Mother Mary Lange, OSP, and the Oblate Sisters of Providence of Baltimore, Maryland.
It is from our founders that we receive our charism. A charism is a gift from the Holy Spirit … it is that first breath that gave life to our congregation, our spirituality, and our way of life. It is what makes us distinctly IHM. We return again and again to our founders for inspiration and to tap into that dynamic charism that forms and sustains us to this day.
Topics: NUN 101, news on the nunfront, nuns who rock |
November 10th, 2006 at 10:34 am
Blessed IHM/OSP Day!
November 10th, 2006 at 2:38 pm
Happy Founders Day! I loved the description of the being touched with the stole and the meaning it has for you. Do you still do that at all?
November 10th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Thanks for the good wishes, Lisa and Susan. It’s a great day! I’m so grateful for all the women upon whose shoulders I stand. I’m not sure if the ritual of laying the stole on the sisters’ shoulders was ever repeated after that initial moment. I’ll have to check with my learned IHMs.
November 10th, 2006 at 6:55 pm
Happy founder’s day! I hadn’t realized they’re an order native to the US.
November 10th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
In answer to Susan’s question … this comes straight from Sister Mary Jo, one of our IHM historians: “In my nearly 60 years in the Congregation – and having listened for every thread of information related to our history of those years, I have never heard that we ever did that ritual. Fr. Gillet was very creative – and great as a liturgist. He knew that Nov. 10th – with the three women at Mass – soon to begin a life together was a very important moment. It appears that he just couldn’t let that historic moment pass with words only. He used this symbolic action to signify that a new religious congregation – approved by the Church (bishop) was being founded. Thus, the stole on each shoulder.”
Great question and great answer. Thanks!
November 11th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Really nice reflection on Founders’ Day, Julie. Loved the “stole” reference. There is a catalogue of all the “new religious movements” that I picked up in Rome last March. I’ll send you the reference, since it has a good listing of “lay communities.”
Mary Ann
November 12th, 2006 at 10:32 am
Having worked with the IHMs on and off over the years, I have done some research on the stole symbolism at the inauguration of the community. During Gillet’s time, when Redemptorists went to a parish to preach a mission, at the opening ceremony the pastor of the parish would place his stole on the shoulder of each of the missionaries as a symbol that they were sharing in the pastoral care of the parish during the time of the mission by their preaching. I think that was Gillet’s inspiration for the ceremony - and quite a powerful affirmation of women and men sharing together in the Redemptorist mission of preaching the abundant love of God in abandoned places.
November 12th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Terry, thank you for your email. My IHM sisters speak highly of you. I’m grateful for your comments here. We are embarking on a study of Gillet and are working with a Redemptorist in learning more about his life. The piece you added here deepens my appreciation of this unprecedented “little ceremony.”
November 13th, 2006 at 10:35 am
Julie, Happy Founders’ Day. Thanks for reflections and creative initiative. I was thinking about the stole ritual used with our first sisters. At the transfer of leadership ritual in 1988, a stole was placed on each of the new leadership team members. Then and now, I connect the experience with our founding and making visible our commitment to continue the liberating mission of Jesus. I love the ritual and believe we could continue to use it more effectively. Gratefully, Marge
November 13th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Cool! I didn’t know that. The symbolism is so rich. Thank you for sharing that, Marge. Good to hear from you. Julie
December 8th, 2006 at 8:25 am
[…] Gillet had come to the US from Belgium with Fr. Poilvache to do missionary work in 1843. They set up in Monroe, Michigan, and worked at St. Anthony Parish. Eventually they changed the name of the parish to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. In 1844, Gillet met Theresa Maxis, a member of the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore. He convinced her of the great needs of the children in Michigan. In November 1845, she left the Oblates and, with Father Gillet, founded the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (see the web page on our founders by the Immaculata IHMs). For more on our founding see my post IHM Founders Day. […]
November 10th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
[…] Founders Day! Posted on November 10, 2007 by Sister Julie See my November 10, 2006 […]
November 11th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
It is a wonderful legacy left to you all as you carry on the works started by the founders. It’s like a family in many ways as the roots do run deep and those who participate in the “family” have much to be grateful for and take much satisfaction in the accomplishments of the members. My heartiest congratulations.
November 12th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Many thanks, Cathy … Sister J