Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles

The congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles is a Roman Catholic congregation, founded in 1876 in Lyon (France), by Father Augustin Planque, first general superior of the Society of African Missions.

Missionary Sisters of African Missions in Niger (French West Africa) around 1920.

History
Missionary Sisters in Dahomey around 1920.

Mother Eugénia Ravasio was general superior from 1935 until 1947 ; she marked the history of the congregation for her work in favour of lepers.[1]

In 1995, Sister Angèle-Marie Littlejohn and Sister Bibiane Leclercq were killed by terrorism in Algiers. They are recognized as martyrs by the Church. Their beatification was celebrated on 8 December 2018 in Oran (Algeria) with the Martyrs of Algeria.[2][3]

Apostolate

The congregation has currently 800 sisters from 21 countries in 19 countries. The sisters pronounce the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, for the realization of the first evangelization, the service of the poorest and the promotion of women, in an inter-religious dialogue: "we go beyond the borders of countries and of religions to boldly proclaim the dead and resurrected Christ to a multicultural world. We are a ferment of hope in a world in search of landmarks and in quest of Absolute. We are working on the first evangelization, especially in Africa. With respect, we welcome the truth of others and collaborate in the inculturation of the Gospel. We are attentive to the missionary dimension of the local Church. We live in effective solidarity with the poor, especially with women and all the persons who are marginalized in our contemporary societies".

References
  1. Father Andrea D'Ascanio on preghiereagesuemaria.it
  2. Anne-Bénédicte Hoffner (4 December 2018). "Martyrs d'Algérie : Sœur Bibiane et sœur Angèle, la simplicité d'une vie religieuse au service des jeunes femmes" (in French). La Croix..
  3. Anita Bourdin (14 September 2018). "Algérie: à Oran, béatification des 19 martyrs catholiques le 8 décembre 2018". zenit.org (in French). Zenit..

Bibliography
  • (in French) Georges Goyau, Les Sœurs de Notre-Dame des Apôtres, Paris, Éditions Spes, 1936.
  • (in French) Fr. André Ravier, Les Missionnaires de Notre-Dame des Apôtres, Lyon, Lescuyer, décembre 1944, 594 pages.
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