province of cristo rey - Canossian Daughters of Charity

August 17: The
Canossian Sisters arrive in
Albuquerque at Our Lady of
the Annunciation Parish is the
site for the their Convent.
Mother of the
Redeemer Convent
Vancouver - Canada
Nuestra Senora de
Guadalupe Convent
Chihuahua - Mexico
Cristo Rey Convent
Albuquerque, NM
Mother of Hope
Albuquerque, NM
Casa Angelica
Albuquerque, NM
Jackson
Mother of the
New Advent
Albuquerque, NM
Amador County, California
Casa Josefina Bakhita
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our mission in the last fifty years would not have been possible, if not for the generous support we have received from benefactors, who have felt connected with us and were moved to support our works of charity. Along the way, in moments of dire need, anonymous souls donated financially so
that our works „for the good of the poor and the little ones‟ could continue. God alone knows how many
times our presence in North America was sustained because of this „divine providence.‟
We would like to extend our deep gratitude to our many friends, collaborators, and
especially to our Lay Canossians who have given of themselves to serve in our apostolates and missions.
Their generosity and shared service in our charitable works are a direct response to the desire of the
Foundress, who sought to involve all she met in her plan of Charity for the world.
Most rightfully, we offer our hearts, full of praise and thanksgiving to God, who has
allowed this Institute, “the last and least in the Church of God,” to continue to honor Him through our
prayers and our works, that the vision of our Foundress, Saint Magdalene of Canossa, may continue to
„Make Jesus Known and Loved‟ wherever our houses are planted.
Monterrey - Mexico
Sacramento, CA
St. Brendan
Spirituality Center
Albuquerque, NM
(addition to Cristo Rey)
Holy Name Convent
San Francisco, CA
The Canossian presence in the United States began
August 17, 1961 with the arrival of four Sisters M. Antoinetta Colombo, M. Louisa Giugni, M. Teresa
Norris. and M. Dorothy Brown.
They arrived at the request of the Pastor of
Annunciation Parish to staff the Parochial School and
to teach religious education to children attending
public schools.
Thus, the adventure began . . .
San Francisco, CA
St Josephine Bakhita
Apostolic Project
Toronto - Canada
Celebrating 50 Years
of Service in
North America
Blessed are you, Lord, Father in heaven,
who in your infinite mercy,
stooped down to us and gave us Jesus,
your Son, born of a woman, to be our Savior and friend,
our brother and Redeemer.
We thank you, Father,
for guiding us, opening doors of service
in the various parishes and dioceses;
through the many kind priests and bishops,
who have welcomed us. May you continue to bless them
with your grace, and protect them from all harm as they
continue to preach the Gospel to our broken world.
We thank you, Father,
for You have given us collaborators,
benefactors and friends to help share
the burden of our service.
Bless each of them, that their generosity
will never be forgotten, but rather
be returned to them
in overflowing abundance.
We thank you, Father,
for You have blessed us with vocations.
May we open our hearts to receive
other young people to collaborate with us,
and by your grace, may their hearts be opened to give
themselves with ‘untiring charity for the good of our
brothers and sisters.’
Bless each of our Sisters of the Province of Cristo Rey,
that they may be a concrete sign, revealing the ‘great
gift of receiving a vocation to this Institute of Charity,
and may they always respond worthily to such a big
grace.’
We thank you, Lord,
for the gift of the last fifty years
in which you have shown us favor,
your grace sustaining our ministries of charity
wherever you have sent us.
Continue to guide us into the future,
according to Your Divine Plan and blessings.
May our Mother, Our Lady of Sorrows at the Foot of
the Cross, ever intercede for us. Amen.
Daughters of Charity - Servants of the Poor
PROVINCE OF CRISTO REY
5625 Isleta Boulevard, Albuquerque, NM 87105 USA
St. Magdalene‟s Dream
is born with the founding of
St Joseph‟s Convent, Verona Italy
1860 - Hong Kong
1961 - United States
1868 - China
1969 - Spain
1878 - Macau
1971 - Uganda
1878 - Timor
1975 - Malawi
1889 - India
1979 - France
1894 - Singapore
1987 - Indonesia
1905 - Malaysia
1988 - Canada
1922 - England
1991 - Mexico
1932 - Argentina
1992 - Poland
1938 - Ethiopia
1992 - Paraguay
1948 - Brazil
1992 - Papua N.Guinea
1949 - Australia
1993 - Angola
1951 - Japan
1994 - Togo
1954 - Philippines
1995 - Sudan
1956 - Portugal
1995 - Ukraine
1956 - Tanzania
1995 - Egypt
1957 - Congo
1997 - Albania
1959 - Sao Tomé
and beyond…
The Missionary spirit of the Canossian Institute has its roots in the
heart of the Foundress Magdalene of Canossa (Verona 1774-1835).
She was fond of reminding her daughters, “Christ is not loved because
he is not known!” She transmitted Christ‟s message to her Sons and
Daughters of Charity, “Euntes in Universum Mundum” - Go
throughout the world - spreading God‟s Kingdom to the ends of the
earth.
The message of God‟s love according to the heart of Magdalene began
to be carried beyond the borders of Italy in 1860, with the first
mission in Hong Kong and the Canossian Sisters did „spread
throughout the world.‟
The Canossian archives show that the first Canossian Sisters arrived in America in the 1900’s and settled
in the Archdiocese of Philadelpahia, Pennsylvania. Very little is known about that first American foundation
which lasted less than two years. It would be another 60 years before the Canosian Sisters, again, set foot
in the new world.
In 1961, Monsignor Coggiola, Pastor of Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
contacted the Canossian Sisters, inviting them to staff the new parish school. The first Canossian
Community was, thus, established in Albuquerque, New Mexico, within the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. It
consisted of Sisters Antoinette Colombo, Louise Giugni,
Teresa Celine Norris and Dorothy Brown. After an arduous
journey, they arrived in Albuquerque, August 17, 1961. Two
days later, Archbishop Byrn of Santa Fe, celebrated Mass in the
new convent chapel and blessed the Sisters’ new home.
In the years to follow, while the Sisters were totally dedicated
to the school, it became clear that their presence was needed
in religious education beyond the school, particularly in
sacramental preparation for children and adolescents. The
Sisters’ involvement soon spread to other parish
ministries including children’s liturgies, choirs, and outreach to
the needy and missions.
In 1964, the Sisters procured a property in Albuquerque’s South Valley and in
1965, the Cristo Rey Convent was founded.
Faithful to St. Magdalene of Canossa’s invitation to reach out to those most in
need, in January, 1967, Casa Angelica opened its doors to the first angel,
Arlene Arrigoni. Since then, Casa Angelica has continued to serve children
and young adults with profound disabilities offerning them excellent holistic
care in a family atmosphere.
The mission of the Canossian Sisters moved beyond Albuquerque in 1968, at
the invitation of Bishop Alden J. Bell of Sacramento. The following year, in
1969, Sisters Teresa Bonaventure, Catherine Cappello, and Mary Ann Farina
arrived in Amador County and opened the catechetical center, and the
Convent in Jackson. The work in the Sacramento Diocese expanded in 1972,
with the opening of Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in Sacramento.
In 1974, back in Albuquerque, the first part of the Spirituality Center was
completed and in 1979, the chapel was added.
During the 1980’s, with the arrival of Chinese Sisters to the Province, an opportunity to reach out to the
Asian community, especially Chinese immigrants in San Franciso, offered the Sisters an opportunity for
new ministries in the field of evangelization.
In September, 1984, Sisters Teresa Bonaventure, Josephine de
Gorostiza and Maria Hsu formed the first Canossian community in San
Francisco at Holy Name Parish, serving in catechetical and pastoral
ministry, the school and establishing the Chinese Ministry in the
Archdiocese of San Francisco. About this same time, the Hong Kong
Province opened a house in Vancouver, Canada, to assist our Sisters as
well as the growing Chinese population in the region.
In 1985, the delegation was named a Vice Province with Mother Maria Valsecchi as the Vice Provincial and
just three years later, the Cristo Rey Province was constituted with Sr.
Paola Canziani as the first Provincial Superior. Shortly after, the
community in Vancouver was annexed to the Cristo Rey Province.
On January 21, 1991, a new mission outreach was extended to Chihuahua,
Mexico, and a new community was formed by Sisters Stella Negri,
Catherine Cappello and Lucy Pavesi. The Sisters served the Parish of Our
Lady of Guadalupe and soon after took over the administration and
direction of Instituto Educativo Morelos. A second community was
established in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, in 1999, as a house of studies for
young Mexican Sisters.
The novitiate community of Mother of Hope was established in 1994 in
Albuquerque to attend to the formative needs of those considering
religious life in the Canossian tradition. Mother of the New Advent
community, also in Albuquerque, opened in 1998, as a discerning and
transition place for pre-novitiate candidates.
In 2008, the Province was invited to consider sending Sisters to help in
the formation of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish Community in the
Archdiocese of Toronto, Canada. Sister Cristina Ovejera was appointed
to represent the Canossian Sisters and open the way to the establishment
of a Canossian Apostolic Group in Misssissauga, Ontario, Canada.
2008 was also a milestone marking the celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the foundation of the
Daughters and Sons of Charity of Saint Magdalene Canossa. The Charism continues to be ‘the grain of
wheat that falls to the ground, dies and bears much fruit.’ May the Lord continue to bless this ‘least of
Institute of ours’ as we plant seeds of charity - the “fire that tries to embrace the whole world.”