The Beginnings of the Franciscans of the Immaculate

The Franciscans of the Immaculate were founded by the two Franciscan friars, Fr. Stefano Maria Manelli and Fr. Gabriel Maria Pellettieri. The name, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, was actually chosen by St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe who, in his time, foresaw a future feminine branch of the Friars who would also live this vow of total consecration to the Immaculate. Together they outlined a form of life for the friars, sisters and the laity after the example of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, giving the fullest expression to the Marian dimension of St. Francis' ideal and Rule. Today both the friars and sisters are religious Institutes of pontifical right, and they constitute the single religious Family of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, vitally inserted into the Church as a new, chosen “portion” of the Mystical Body of Christ.

The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, a new Franciscan branch rooted in the Rule of St. Francis of Assisi (Regula Bullata, 1223) and in the Marian Plan of Franciscan Life (“Traccia mariana di vita francescana”), are a fruit that blossomed forth from the first missionary expedition of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate took place in August 1979 in the Philippine Islands, nine years after the beginnings of the experience of our Founding Fathers with this Marian-Franciscan way of life. The Immaculate blessed the efforts of these two holy priests and there was a marvelous blossoming of vocations and of their apostolate. The first fruit was the birth of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate.

They, like the Friars, were founded by Fr. Stefano Mary Manelli and Fr. Gabriel Mary Pellettieri, and their Institute was erected by the Cardinal of Manila, Archbishop J. Sin, in 1985. They are the true sister Family of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, a branch of the Franciscans for women, bound by the same approved Rule of St. Francis of Assisi and the same Marian Plan of Franciscan Life (the Traccia).

The first step in the foundation of this new Family was taken at the same Casa Mariana of Frigento on November 1, 1982 during the meeting of a small group of young women from the Philippines with the two friar Founders. The meeting was held in order to organize the first community of women consecrated to the Immaculate according to this form of life.

The erection of the new Institute was on May 31, 1985, in the Philippine Islands. They began with a group of five novices and numerous aspirants consecrated to the Immaculate, desiring to live the religious life according to the Rule of St. Francis and the Marian Traccia with the additional grace of the fourth vow of total consecration to the Immaculate.