Mother Mary of the Passion
Because of the many talents she had shown, she had gained the confidence of Mother Mary of Jesus, the foundress, and was immediately named the Superior of the community. When she made her final and permanent religious profession a year later, she was appointed as the Provincial Superior of the three communities of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix in the Vicariate. Under her leadership, some tensions which had previously been experienced by the various communities were apparently ironed out and the work of the congregation began to flourish. Growth reached a point where she was able to staff a new convent in Ootacamund Tamil Nadu, a popular hill station deep in the Nilgiri mountains, located in the Vicariate Apostolic of Diocese of Coimbatore, established under the authority of the Paris Foreign Missions Society.
The tensions which the communities in Madurai had previously exhibited, however, arose again in 1876. This time Mother Mary was unable to resolve them. As a result, 20 of the Sisters left, including Mother Mary of the Passion. They gathered in the new convent in Ootacumund - which was the property of the Vicariate, and with the approval of the local Vicar Apostolic, resolved to continue their commitment in a new community. Mother Mary then travelled to Rome to secure the permission of the Holy See for this new foundation. On 6 January 1877 she obtained the approval of Pope Pius IX for the group, which was to have an entirely missionary orientation. They took Missionaries of Mary with Mother Mary of the Passion elected as their Superior.
The tensions which the communities in Madurai had previously exhibited, however, arose again in 1876. This time Mother Mary was unable to resolve them. As a result, 20 of the Sisters left, including Mother Mary of the Passion. They gathered in the new convent in Ootacumund - which was the property of the Vicariate, and with the approval of the local Vicar Apostolic, resolved to continue their commitment in a new community. Mother Mary then travelled to Rome to secure the permission of the Holy See for this new foundation. On 6 January 1877 she obtained the approval of Pope Pius IX for the group, which was to have an entirely missionary orientation. They took Missionaries of Mary with Mother Mary of the Passion elected as their Superior.
