Sisters of Mary

History & origins

The Servants of Mary were founded in Galeazza, Italy, in 1862 by Father Ferdinando Baccilieri. Their mission in Korea developed through an invitation and period of preparation associated with the Diocese of Cheongju. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that two sisters sent from the German vice-province came to Korea in September 1982, studied Korean and theology, and in September 1985 established a convent in Bongmyeong-dong, Cheongju, where regular apostolic work began.

As vocations and formation developed, the Korean community moved its main house and novitiate in 1988 and was raised to the status of a branch in 1992. During this period the congregation expanded its parish apostolate. A 1996 account in the encyclopedia already lists the sisters as carrying out evangelizing ministry at Seonhak-dong Parish in Incheon. Although that source does not give the exact date of the first assignment to Seonhak-dong, it confirms that the congregation was established in ministry there by the mid-1990s.

The Seonhak-dong community subsequently continued as a local house within the Diocese of Incheon. Today the Guide to the Catholic Church in Korea separately registers the 'Incheon Community' of the Servants of Mary at the same address as Seonhak-dong Parish, and the parish directory also identifies the congregation as currently serving there. The continuity between the earlier record of sisters assigned to the parish and the current branch listing demonstrates a long-standing presence in Seonhak-dong.

Public sources located for this review do not establish the formal opening date of the Seonhak-dong community or the dates of construction or relocation of the convent. The local history is therefore best presented through the documented sequence: the congregation was already active at Seonhak-dong by 1996 and that presence continues today in the form of the registered Incheon branch.