MERCEDARIAN MISSIONARIES OF BÉRRIZ. - The monastery of Bérriz, founded in 1550 as a community of devout Mercedarians, was transformed in 1741 into a monastery of Mercedarian Sisters with papal enclosure; in 1919, through the work of Mother M. Maturana, it embraced the missionary ideal and inaugurated the first “Missionary Youth” of Spain.
In 1926, in fact, the first expedition set out for China; in 1927 the M. went to Saipan (Mariana Islands), and in 1928 to Japan and the Carolines. In 1931, with the unanimous consent of the Religious and the approval of the Holy See, the community was transformed into a missionary Institute, while retaining the name and privileges of the ancient monastery.
The nuns already professed retained their solemn vows; the new members take simple vows. New Constitutions were drawn up, approved for the first time on 14 Aug. 1930 and definitively on 3 Jan. 1939.
The special purpose of the Institute is the Christian education of young women in colleges and work in the missions. In 1951 the Institute numbered 417 members, of whom 91 were in the missions, and 11 houses (Japan, China, the Mariana and Caroline Islands, the Truck Archipelago, and the United States). It publishes a bulletin, Angeles de las Misiones, first monthly (1926–36), then bimonthly (1937 onwards). Motherhouse at Bérriz.