Maryknoll Sisters

The Maryknoll Sisters were founded in 1912 by Mother Mary Joseph, who founded the order based on a commitment to overseas service. Today that commitment continues, with Sisters serving abroad in places as diverse as Albania, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, and Nicaragua. In total, they work in 31 countries, establishing schools and hospitals, which are eventually turned over to the administration of local lay ministers. Aside from these large-scale projects, Maryknoll Sisters work in adult education and leadership training, teach English in China, foster income-generating projects, and work with people who live with HIV/AIDs.

The Maryknoll Center is located in Ossining, New York. Women who join the community are trained in a variety of professions, serving as nurses, doctors, teachers, social workers, catechists, theologians, agronomists, artists, journalists and community development specialists. Though the Maryknoll Sisters were founded on Sister Mary Joseph's conviction that the Church of the United States of America had a unique missionary responsibility, membership is not confined to Americans. Currently, Maryknoll Sisters hail from 29 countries, including the Philippines, China, Tanzania, and Peru.