Little Servants of the Immaculate Conception
In 1850, in western Poland, Edmondo Bojanowski gathered some pious women in his home and entrusted them with the care of orphans. The Archbishop of Gniezno and Poznań granted them temporary vows for three years, outlined a method of life for them, and after a probationary period, provided them with a Superior and their own Constitutions.
In 1860 they were called to Galicia, to Przemyśl; but the new foundation, due to political impositions, had to become independent from the mother house which remained in territory subject to Prussia. Thus was born the Institute of the P. S. I. C., which received the decree of praise on 22 Feb. 1904, temporary approval of the Constitutions on 9 Dec. 1930, and definitive approval on 21 May 1940. The purpose of the Institute is to promote Christian life among youth and to care for the sick and disabled; for this reason the Sisters run kindergartens, orphanages, schools, workshops, associations, and the like. In 1940 the Sisters numbered 1,315, with 92 novices, and had 306 houses spread across 15 dioceses.