SAINT AUGUSTINE'S SCHOOL

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“Let your heart be like Christ’s, so gentle and so great, that the whole world may find room in it.” The FIRE and GRACE to continue and participate in God’s  mission remain ever ablaze and alive in our hearts because we are inspired and challenged by these words of

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Mother Marie Louise de Meester, the Foundress of Saint Augustine’s School and the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary  (ICM—Immaculate Cordis Mariae), born on April 8, 1857 in Roeselare, a coastal town in Belgium, Maria grew up to be a cultured, well-educated, talented and gifted young lady with a special love for the missions in far-off lands, and a longing to dedicate herself to nurturing the life of children. Her personality was a blend of the determination and efficiency of a businessman— father, and of the self control and empathy of her mother.

 

While she was a young girl, interest in missionary apostolate was emerging in Belgium. Though the direct involvement of young women was rate at that time, Maria actively involved herself in the rising mission movement. She deeply admired courage, commitment and dedication of the missionaries.

 

A process of spiritual maturation through reflection, spiritual advice and guidance brought Maria to the conviction that she should put her whole self freely at the disposal of God’s Kingdom through consecration in the religious life.

 

At 22, she joined the Canonesses of St. Augustine in Ieper, Belgium, where she received the religious name Dame Marie Louise. After her religious profession, she was put in charge of the younger children. She was a gifted teacher, She put into her teaching, competence and kindness which won the respect, admiration and love of her students.

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Although the congregation she joined was not a missionary one, Dame Marie Louise inspired her students with stories about the mission and of courage of missionaries in far-away lands. They in turn wrote letters to these missionaries and saved money for the missions.

 

A daring faith in God and a tremendous love for His people in need had moved Marie Louise to undertake a seemingly impossible mission at that time in history. She got in touch with the Carmelite priest, Fr. Victor       Verleure in Mulagumoodu, India in 1891. Then the Canonesses were invited to send some of their Sisters to his mission.

 

Six years later, Dame Marie Louise herself would eventually set out for India, with Dame Marie Ursule, to answer the call to help Father Victor in his work among the poor, especially the orphans. These two missionaries started the first steps of a long journey, beyond their homeland. They left the convent of the Canonesses of St. Augustine in Belgium for India. Their missionary call had become a reality. Filled with zeal and determination to establish the reign of God in different cultures, Mother Marie Louise said: “This could be done if it is God’s love that the Sisters bring.”

 

Her missionary zeal, manifested in her selfless dedication to God in the service of the poor, inspired young women in India to live a life a similar dedication. Mother Marie Louise formed them into a group known as the Auxiliary Sisters eventually called by ICMs as their Senior Indian Sisters.

 

Thus was born the ICM Congregation in Mulagumoodu, India in 1897. After struggling for freedom to expand the congregation, Mother Marie Louise accepted the invitation of the Scheut Fathers to come to the Philippines.

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On June 21, 1910, Mother Marie Louise and three other Sisters- Sr. Marie Charlles, Sr. Marie Lutgarde and Sr. Marie Vincent arrived in Farola, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur to begin the ICM missions in the Philippines.

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In the Philippines, Mother Marie Louise established several missions, the first which was Saint Augustine’s School, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, which opened on July 4, 1910. The sacrifices and great services which the pioneers of the ICM Congregation were doping inspired vocations. The ICM Sisters have spread in different parts of the world and are now in:

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• Africa    : Congo, Cameroun, Burundi, Senegal

• Asia       : Hongkong, Taiwan, Outer Mongolia, India, Philippines

• Caribbean Islands    : Jamaica, St. Croix, Dominica, Haiti

• Europe  : Belgium, Rome

• Latin America  : Brazil and Guatemala

• USA

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The Generalate House is in Rome, Italy.

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The Sisters minister by humble inculturation in the socio-economic—cultural-health, pastoral as well as non-formal and formal educational fields. With the attitude of a pilgrim and a companion on the journey, and in the dialogue of life and of faith with the people to whom the Sisters are sent, they endeavor to make their joys, hopes, fears and anxieties their own and commit themselves to share in their struggles for justice, peace, freedom and the integrity of creation. Their hearts go to women who are most vulnerable in society. The groaning of the devastated earth, too, does not leave them unmoved, nut impel them to work together with others to restore and enhance nature’s fruitfulness and beauty.

 

Mother Marie Louise breathed her last on earth and got into the loving embrace of God on October 10, 1928 in Heverlee, Belgium.

at the age of 71.