DAUGHTERS OF THE MOST PURE HEART OF MARY (Warsaw). - The Congregation was founded at Wilno in 1884 by the Capuchin Fr. Onorato Kuzminski, founder of other institutes in Poland, which had the structure of the present-day secular institutes, approved by Pius XII’s constitution Provida mater Ecclesia of 2 February 1947.
(courtesy of the F. di S. M. I.)
FIGLI DI S. MARIA IMMACOLATA - Portrait of Fr. Giuseppe Frassinetti, founder of the Congregation of the F. di S. M. I.
FIGLIE DEL CUORE P.MO DI M. - FIGLIE DELLA CARITÀ
which, secretly, continued Catholic teaching. One of these found in Fr. Onorato and later in Countess Pelagia Fotocha the secure support that enabled it to flourish and overcome every difficulty. The association, observing religious life without a habit and with only private vows, devoted itself to the education of young women. When the persecutions in Poland ended, the Institute was approved by the S. Congregazione dei Vescovi e Regolari on 21 June 1899 «as a pious association»; but on 13 Apr. 1907 the Holy See granted the decree of praise and revised the constitutions, restoring them to the type of religious congregations properly so called. Before the war, the Institute had about 300 sisters in 20 houses.