The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth (1875)

For Poles, the nineteenth century is known as the “century of sadness,” when a once-great nation was divided among three surrounding powers (Russia, Germany, and Austria). Between 1870 and 1910, some two million Poles settled in America, mainly in the big cities. By the turn of the century, Chicago had become the world’s third largest Polish city.

Among the first Polish religious to follow them were the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, founded at Rome in 1875 by Frances Siedliska (1842-1902) (seen above). Born to a noble Polish family, Frances wanted to found a community that would imitate the humble service of the Holy Family. (At the time it was impossible to start one in Czarist Poland.) As superior, Frances took the name Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd.

During their first decade, the sisters expanded throughout Europe. In 1885, they were invited to Chicago, where Mother Frances personally led eleven sisters. Over the years they established 28 parochial schools in Chicago (along with orphanages and a hospital.) By 1914, there were 500 sisters working throughout the United States, with one hundred women in the novitiate.

The Sisters of the Holy Family are truly the international community that their foundress envisioned. (On her deathbed, Mother Frances called out the word “charity” in five languages: Polish, Italian, English, German, and French.) Today they minister in Asia, Australia, and Latin America. In 1935, Mother Frances was declared Venerable, and in 1989 she was beatified by Pope John Paul II.