USA
Be present to the peoples of today. Share their joy and hope, their anguish and struggle. Live in solidarity with those who suffer.
Your community will then be a sign of hope.
(MMM Constitutions 3.6)
Background information
In 1950 Mother Mary came to America hoping to make friends for the congregation, who would eventually become long term supporters of our various ministries. Imagine our congregation was then only 13 years old. For Mother Mary, coming to America was an opportunity to plant the “seed” of vocation promotion and to exercise her hope for more hands to make the missionary needs lighter. Mother Mary had a vision for what the wider congregation would look like and certainly her vision has come to fruition in the many faithful benefactors and friends we have made here in the US since 1950. Over the years, MMM has had a presence in Chicago, City Island in the Bronx, San Ysidro in California, Clinchco VA in Appalachia, and various houses in the Boston Area…always making friends and telling the story of our healing mission. Today, we are present in the Boston area in Somerville and in Appalachia and from there continue to be a healing presence in all the ways we can.
Mother Mary outside our 1st home in the US.
Our present reality
Despite our small numbers in the United States we continue, to this day, being a presence to the peoples of today. Our home in Somerville is the community from which sisters are living in a variety of local care facilities depending on their needs.
Sr Bernie Kenny, in Appalachia, continues to extend hope to those she meets each day. Giving chair massages, Healing touch and a listening ear. Others of us volunteer, in addition to other ministries we have, with the Senior Living Community across the street from our MMM home in Somerville MA, helping in their administration, gardening, and visiting needs, especially with those who are in need either of a helping hand or a cheerful smile. Wherever we are, we believe, giving time is as important as giving talents and this is something we do often when visiting a local prison, visiting our own sick sisters or family members in different nursing facilities.
Like so many around the world COVID has challenged us in relation to how we continue to participate in groups that hold similar values to our own. We collaborate with various groups including the US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious at national and regional level, other groups working towards social justice and integrity of creation as well as connecting with our associates and the wider congregation.
Srs Joan Grumbach, Teri McDnough, Joanne Bierl, Nina Underwood, Kathie Shea, MaryAnn MacRae, Carol Breslin and Kay Lawlor
As well, 2 of us continue the ministry work of the Mission Development Office, along with one of our AMMM’s who works remotely. The Mission Development Office is a congregational ministry that grew out of Mother Mary’s vision for the USA. Through it we keep in touch with our donors, keep them informed of the various mission needs and activities, and travel around the USA as part of the Missionary Cooperative Program speaking in different parishes telling the MMM story. We also actively engage with circles of MMM friends.
It is always about a shared passion for our healing charism and building relationships that nurture healing and transformation. We, here in the US try do our part to engage in the world in a positive way.
Margie Walsh and her daughter
We would be remiss if we did not mention Covenant Health with whom we collaborate. Through them we have employed a Care Manager who assists all our sisters in Massachusetts in a variety of ways. Margie exudes an enthusiasm for life which is in word and deed contagious and keeps a good eye on the needs of each sister in the various care facilities where they live.
We are also blessed to have a wonderful group of women who live in various parts of the United States who are our AMMM’s (Associate Medical Missionaries of Mary). As circumstances allow they join us for some of our gatherings, including by Zoom, and we always know they carry us and MMM’s around the world in their prayers. We are particularly pleased that they also keep in contact with AMMM’s in other parts of the congregation – Brazil, Ireland and Honduras.
Nancy Hinds, Martha Acuna and Jill Garrou, AMMM
In all of our years year as Medical Missionaries of Mary in the United States …we remember with gratitude the Hope and Vision of Mother Mary who came to the United States to make friends who to this day are still supporters of MMM worldwide.
Our Chapel in our MMM Somerville House
There are five Sisters in Brazil and along with their nine Associate members they are engaged in a variety of ministries. Now, we have closed a corporate ministry, Project Consolation, and are researching a new beginning in another part of the country. It is hampered by the pandemic, so the following is what is happening now.
Listening and counselling to families who have special needs children . One associate is volunteering in a project that supports families who have children with special needs.