The Sisters of Mary of Ingelmunster represent a rich chapter in the story of Christian service and apostolic religious life. Born amid the social and religious transformations of 18th-century Europe, this Congregation has remained steadfast in its mission of serving the poor, educating the marginalized, and living out a deep, Gospel-centered spirituality. Rooted in Belgian soil, shaped by the legacy of St. Vincent de Paul, and now growing across continents, the Sisters of Mary embody an enduring response to the call of Christ to love God and neighbor, especially the least among them.

I. Historical Foundations

1. Birth Amid Reform and Need

In the mid-18th century, the Austrian Netherlands, under the rule of Empress Maria Theresa, was undergoing the first stages of recovery after prolonged wars and destruction. The needs of the people, however, remained immense, particularly among the poor. Amid this context, a spiritual and apostolic revival began to take shape—one that echoed the example of Vincent de Paul, who had earlier revolutionized religious life by calling laywomen to serve the poor through organized apostolic communities.

Although Maria Theresa’s realm allowed only contemplative communities by law, the seed of something new was planted in Ingelmunster, a parish of 5,000 people in the Diocese of Tournai. On July 2, 1769, the local pastor, Pieter Jacobus Dufort, took a bold step. He founded a Congregation with a dual purpose: to aid poor children in their education and labor, and to care for the sick and needy of the parish.

2. Founder: Pieter Jacobus Dufort

Born on May 16, 1720, in Ledegem, Dufort was appointed pastor of Ingelmunster at the age of 29. Deeply sensitive to the social and spiritual needs of his parishioners, he envisioned a form of religious life that was active, community-based, and open to women of simple backgrounds. Inspired by the Marian devotion of the parish, he placed the new foundation under the patronage of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows.

Two women—Francisca Goethals and Isabella Catulle—joined him as the first members of this “spiritual assembly.” The house they inhabited, purchased by Dufort himself, became the humble birthplace of the Congregation. Its mission, as described at the time, was “to advance in virtue for the salvation of neighbor and the glory of God.”

3. Growth and Recognition

In 1772, Dufort was appointed canon of the Cathedral of Our Lady in Tournai but continued to support the fledgling Congregation. That same year, Empress Maria Theresa formally recognized the community as a foundation with an apostolic aim. In 1774, the two women made their religious profession, and the community was recognized under diocesan law.

The Sisters of Mary quickly grew and persisted through turbulent times, including the French occupation and Dutch rule. Although they faced legal threats to their assets in 1864 and were even expelled from their convent in 1881, the generosity of benefactors—such as the Count and Baroness de Montblanc—allowed them to relocate and begin anew.

II. Spirituality and Charism

1. A Marian Heart, a Vincentian Spirit

The spirituality of the Sisters of Mary is rooted in an apostolic, community-based religious life. Inspired by Mary, especially under her title of Our Lady of Sorrows, and following in the footsteps of Vincent de Paul, the Sisters commit themselves to the love of God and service to the poor. Their guiding motto, engraved on the cross they wear, is “Per Mariam ad Jesum”—“Through Mary to Jesus.”

2. The Three Evangelical Counsels

Their lives are marked by the evangelical counsels of chastity, obedience, and poverty, interpreted through a Vincentian and Marian lens:

• Chastity is embraced as total dedication to God and to the wide-reaching care of His people. The religious Sister seeks fulfillment in a personal relationship with Christ, service within the community, and communal life that radiates the Kingdom of God.
• Obedience is lived through mutual respect, deep listening, and shared responsibility. It embodies openness to the Spirit and a readiness to contribute to the renewal of the Church.
• Poverty is understood as existential humility—living with empty hands in a posture of openness, transformation, and Gospel radicalism. Poverty is not merely material; it is a continual turning to Christ in simplicity and dependence.

The Eucharist forms the heart of this spiritual journey. In it, the Sisters find their strength and unity with Jesus, whom they recognize as “the way, the truth, and the life.”

III. Apostolic Mission

1. Education and Care

From the very beginning, education was the primary apostolate of the Congregation. Schools were founded to serve poor children who had no access to learning. As the Congregation grew and absorbed other communities, particularly in the 20th century, its apostolate expanded to include the care of the sick and the elderly.

Though aging has reduced the number of active Sisters today, many continue to make meaningful contributions. Some serve in parish work, administrative tasks, spiritual guidance, visiting the sick, and volunteering in various ways. Others remain involved with kindergartens in Nieuwpoort and Izegem, and in hospital and elder care institutions.

Wherever they are, the Sisters aim to embody Christ’s compassion and witness to His resurrection.

2. Expansion and Mergers

Throughout the 20th century, the Sisters of Mary of Ingelmunster experienced several mergers with other Congregations:

• 1927: The Sisters of St. Vincent of Dadizele merged with the Congregation.
• 1954–1955: Three other Congregations joined: the Sisters of St. Vincent of Merkem, the Sisters of St. Vincent of Sint-Eloois-Winkel, and the Sisters of Charity of Izegem.
• 2004: The Sisters of Charity of Kortrijk requested to join.

These unions enriched the Congregation’s heritage and broadened its presence and apostolic reach.

3. Mission in Congo

In 1930, responding to a request from a local missionary—Father Verstraete of Ingelmunster—the Sisters launched their first overseas mission in Fataki, in northeastern Congo. There they established a hospital and a school, offering vital services in a remote and underserved area.

By 1957, the mission in Fataki had matured enough to open a novitiate for local vocations, encouraging indigenous religious life. Today, the Congo mission comprises several communities, especially in the Diocese of Bunia, with Sisters involved in education, health care, and parish work. A regional house in Bunia coordinates their activities.

The governance structure of the Congregation reflects its internationality, with two main regions—Belgium and Congo—each overseen by a regional superior and council.

4. The Vietnamese Mission

The seeds of the Vietnamese mission were sown by Sr. Anna Thuy, a Vietnamese Sister living in Belgium. In 1998, she returned to her homeland after 29 years and was moved by the hardships faced by young people, especially those who lacked opportunities for education and faith formation.

In 1999, during the Congregation’s General Chapter, she proposed founding a community in Vietnam to accompany and empower young people. After several exploratory visits and persistent prayer, the Congregation agreed. The General Chapter of August 2003 formally approved the mission.

By 2004–2005, a house was established in Binh Thanh, Saigon, with support from the Vietnamese community in West Flanders. This house became a center for formation, education, and discernment. A growing number of young women—some 35 at the time—joined the community, with several expressing a desire for religious life. By 2007, two were already in the pre-novitiate.

The long-term vision is to help build an independent Vietnamese Congregation, sustained initially by Belgian support but rooted in local leadership, culture, and faith.

5. Uganda Mission

In 2013, the Sisters expanded to Kampala, Uganda, where they purchased a house 45 km from Entebbe airport. This facility serves multiple purposes:

• A welcoming center for the poor
• A residence for Sisters receiving medical treatment
• A home for Sisters pursuing studies
• A transit house for travel to and from Belgium

Although still in its infancy, this mission demonstrates the Congregation’s continued responsiveness to new calls and needs.

6. A Living Sign of the Church

The Sisters of Mary of Ingelmunster have continually adapted to the needs of their time, without losing sight of their original charism. Whether through teaching children, nursing the sick, accompanying the elderly, or guiding new vocations in distant lands, they seek to be a sign of hope and love in the world.

Their communal life, built on prayer, the Eucharist, and mutual support, is a prophetic witness to the values of the Gospel. Rooted in Marian faith and Vincentian charity, the congregation remains a wellspring of apostolic vitality, despite the challenges of aging membership and cultural change.

Their mission, as always, is God’s work in and through them—embraced with the humble confidence of Saint Paul: “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13).

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The Sisters of Mary of Ingelmunster have journeyed far from their modest beginnings in 1769. What began as a response to the needs of a small Belgian parish has grown into a multi-continental ministry, reaching across Belgium, Congo, Vietnam, and Uganda. Their enduring presence is a testament to the power of faith, the beauty of service, and the transforming grace of religious life. Through Mary, always to Jesus—they continue to walk in trust, sowing seeds of love, and nurturing hope wherever they are called.

Contact:

• Address: Schoolstraat 8, 8770 Ingelmunster (Bélgica)
• Telephone: (+32) 051/30 41 01
  
• Email: magda.vanmarcke@zm-ing.be
• Web: https://www.zrsmaria-ing.be/