Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary facts for kids
Motherhouse in NYC as of 2010.
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| Formation | 1916 |
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| Founders | Mary Theodore Williams |
| Founded at | Savannah, Georgia |
| Headquarters | Manhattan |
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Parent organization
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Catholic Church |
The Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary are a group of Catholic nuns. They were started in 1916 by Mary Theodore Williams and Ignatius Lissner. This group is special because it was one of the first Catholic communities for African-American women.
The Handmaids follow the rules of the Third Order of St. Francis. Their main goal has always been to educate children, especially those from the African-American community. They have helped many young people learn and grow.
Contents
The Story of the Handmaids
Who Was Mary Theodore Williams?
Elizabeth Williams was born in 1868 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She went to school with the Ladies of the Sacred Heart. She also learned from the Sisters of the Holy Family. This was one of the oldest groups of African-American Catholic nuns in the United States.
When she was 19, Elizabeth joined the Sisters of Saint Francis in Louisiana. That group later closed in 1912. She then joined the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore. There, she was given the name Sister Mary Theodore.
Starting a New Group
Around that time, a new law was being discussed in Georgia. It would have stopped white teachers from teaching Black children. This law could have closed schools in Georgia that were run by Ignatius Lissner. These schools had Franciscan Sisters teaching there.
Sister Mary Theodore heard that Lissner needed someone to start a new group of Black Catholic sisters in Savannah. In 1915, she was working in Washington, D.C. She decided to help. On October 15, 1916, she officially became Mother Mary Theodore and started the new order.
Moving to Harlem
The Georgia law never passed. The new sisters found it hard to get support. They taught during the day. To earn more money, they ran a laundry business at night. On weekends, they would ask for donations.
Because it was so hard, the sisters decided to move their main house in 1924. They moved to Harlem in northern Manhattan, New York City. Their main house is still there today.
By 1925, there were 16 sisters. Some of them came from the West Indies. In 1930, Mother Williams made sure her group was officially part of the Franciscan family. This is when they became known as the Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. During the Great Depression, the sisters opened a soup kitchen to help people who were hungry.
Mother Williams passed away in New York in August 1931.
The Handmaids Today
From 1952 to 2003, the sisters ran a summer camp on Staten Island. This camp gave thousands of young people a fun summer break. These kids came from New York City and the Carolinas.
In the 1960s, the group was at its largest, with 80 sisters. By 2010, there were 18 sisters, most of whom were older. In 2014, it seemed like the order might close. But Pope Francis encouraged them to keep going. The sisters then started helping people in other parts of the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa.
In 2017, there were 24 sisters, with seven new members training to join. The sisters decided to sell their Harlem motherhouse because only three sisters were living there.
The sisters still run St. Benedict’s Day Nursery. This nursery was started in 1923. It was one of the first places in the United States to offer early education for young children.
Another important work of the sisters is the St. Edward Food Pantry. They have run a food pantry on Staten Island since 1928. The food pantry collects food, clothes, gifts, and toys. They give these out, especially during the Christmas season. The sisters serve communities in Harlem, Staten Island, Yonkers, and Owerri, Nigeria.
