FOUNDING AND GROWTH OF THE CONGREGATION

The Congregation of the ‘Daughters of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple’ came into existence in the Church on 7th April, 1833 in Como, Italy. In 18th century, in Italy particularly in Lombardi region, the social and religious revival was inevitable because of the Industrial and French Revolutions. The young girls were abandoned, exploited and left orphaned. The Congregation came into being as an answer to some of the glaring social, political, economic and spiritual needs of the time when two envisioned young girls named Francesca Butti and Maria Rossi responded positively to these challenges. God had a special plan for these two young girls. They were born in the same year, same parish, became neighbors and close friends. They together responded to these alarming situations by taking the girls into a house and catechizing them, giving training in silk thread weaving, embroidery and stitching to meet their daily living. They were always together even in their last moments of their life. They fell ill at the same time. After living 41 years together they left this world only in four days of difference.  One of the favorite sayings of our Founders was “our community is the House of the Lord, because it is a special place to which the Lord has called us”.

On 5^th March 1895, Cardinal Andrea Carlo Ferrari, then apostolic Administrator of the Church of Como, accepts the new institute, erecting it as a Religious Congregation.  On 4^th March 1941, the Constitutions are definitively approved by Pope Pius X11 and the Institute became one of the pontifical right.

Faithful to the gift that the spirit preserved in the hearts of our Founders, we participate in the maternal concern of the Church through educational service of promoting human and Christian formation of girl children and women.

At present there are 358 members in the Congregation. Mother Marina Kollarath is the Superior General since 2013. She is the First Indian Superior General of the Congregation. There are 59 communities extended to different parts of the world like Italy, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.