Missions Throughout the World
History
Caring for orphaned children in the wake of World War I.
The Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict were founded in 1917 by Mother Hedwig Josephine Kulesza as a response to take care of orphaned children as a result of WWI. The sisters have remained faithful to this mission as teachers, educators, and care givers of children in need. We currently have 39 homes, or missions, located in Poland, Ukraine, Brazil, Ecuador, and the United States, with our General Motherhouse located in Otwock, Poland, a suburb of Warsaw. Within the United States our three homes include Oak Forest, Illinois; Huntington, New York; and Saratoga Springs, New York.
The Missionary Sisters have spread throughout the world.
Oak Forest, Illinois, House
At the request of His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict were officially invited to the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2001 to establish a new Benedictine Foundation, with the hope of opening a school for children, according to the tradition, apostolate and charism of the Congregation.
The Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict in Oak Forest are an established Corporation with the State of Illinois, officially known as the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict of Illinois, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization.
The Community’s Purpose and Religious Activities
A life of prayer and work
The purpose for which the Corporation is organized is exclusively charitable and religious:
- a) The organized community of women who serve God by living together a life of prayer and work in the tradition of Saint Benedict according to the tenets and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and the custom and practices of the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict.
- b) To serve God through the works of mercy and charity by teaching, taking care of the needy, poor, children and aged; by spreading the word of God through missionary works, and by serving the people of God through prayer and sacrifice.
- c) The Community is organized exclusively for the charitable or education purposes which currently include:
- Guardian Angel Pre-School & Day Care Center
- Religious training of young sisters in formation
- Teaching and catechesis at local parishes and schools
- Distribution of altar bread (communion hosts)
- Providing food, clothes, and spiritual support to poor families
- Serving as a center for Catholic Groups
The Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict in Oak Forest, Illinois, are currently fulfilling the following apostolic work:
- Guardian Angel Day Care Center and Preschool
- Altar Bread Distribution to over 30 Parishes in the Archdiocese
- Religious Formation House for Novices and Juniors
- Youth and Adult Retreats
- Catechesis in Parishes and Schools
Guardian Angel Day Care Center and Preschool, Oak Forest, Illinois
After much hard work, on October 2, 2006, the Feast of Guardian Angels, Guardian Angel Day Care Center and Preschool was opened by the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict through licensure by the State of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and the support and approval of His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.