History
“The journey is the gift.” -St. Teresa of Calcutta
1988-1998
Mother Mary Catherine entered the Missionaries of Charity in June of 1988. She spent almost ten years with this beautiful community before being sent home just before her final vows due to health reasons. She is always deeply grateful for the formation she received with the Missionaries of Charity, her first religious family. Upon returning back home she completed further studies and accepted work in a small classical Catholic School, later accepting a role of greater service as principal of the growing private Catholic grade-school in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Since returning home in 1998 until 2008, the stirrings of her heart to respond more generously to Jesus’ love and to bring him souls remained steady. After much time, prayer, and discernment it also began to become clear His desire for a new community.
2008
After much prayer, Mother Mary Catherine met with His Excellency Bishop David Ricken in 2008. She brought up the initial desire to form, be it God’s will, a religious order of women who would answer the call to love Christ and to follow Him unreservedly in the ministry of helping others to hear the voice of God, to encounter Him in Sacred Scripture and to enter into a deep relationship with the living God. Since this intense drawing was steadily present for ten years (since 1998), Bishop Ricken encouraged her to continue forward to seek God’s will in this desire.
In the same year, following the counsel of her spiritual director, Mother Mary Catherine accepted a new role serving as the women’s formation director with Catholic Youth Expeditions in the Diocese of Green Bay. She formally joined the ministry the summer of 2009.
September 8th, 2012
On September 8th 2012, with the blessing of the Most Reverend Bishop David Ricken, aspirants were accepted to discern with Mother Mary Catherine the foundation of a new community. Sr. Maria Lucia and Sr. Marie Bernadette entered at this time. Over the next two years, with much prayer and discernment, the form of the new community began to be forged and take shape.
May 1st, 2014
On May 1st 2014, the Missionaries of the Word were founded as a “Public Association of the Faithful destined to become a Religious Institute” by the Most Reverend Bishop David Ricken at St. Pius X Parish in Appleton, Wisconsin. At this time Mother Mary Catherine of the Divine Word had the joy of professing final vows. Sr. M. Lucia and Sr. M. Bernadette entered novitiate.
April 4th, 2016
Sr. Marie Bernadette of the Sacred Heart and Sr. Maria Lucia Stella Maris professed first vows at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay.
August 22nd, 2020
Sr. Marie Bernadette and Sr. Maria Lucia professed final vows at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, Champion, WI.
September 8th, 2022
On the ten year anniversary of our beginning, Sr. Miriam of the Child Jesus professed first vows at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, Champion, WI.
September 14th, 2023
Sr. Marie Magdalena of the Precious Blood, Sr. Mary Agnes of Jesus Crucified, and Sr. Maria Faustina of Jesus entered novitiate and began their canonical year.
June 10th, 2024
Overwhelmed by the Lord’s providence, the community has broken ground on a the building of a new Motherhouse. On July 6th, 2024 His Excellency, Bishop Ricken, offered Holy Mass on the site of the new construction and blessed the property that will be dedicated to the Lord. A white cross was planted where the Motherhouse chapel will one day be. The construction is projected to be completed by Advent 2025.
July 16th, 2024
The community had the beautiful blessing of welcoming four new aspirants who entered with generous hearts and joyful faith on the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It is a joy to welcome them!