| Our Foundress
Blesssed Josaphata
Josaphata Update Sr. Dominic's Address on Jubilee Day for Women
The first Sister Servant was Michaelina Hordashevska, who took the religious name "Josaphata". She was born in 1869 in Lviv, Ukraine. She experienced a call to the religious life and searched for a way to respond. Her spiritual director Father Jeremiah Lomnitsky OSBM asked Michaelina to be the first member of a new apostolic congregation which he was founding with Father Cyril Seletsky, pastor at Zhuzel. She consented and was prepared for this challenging responsibility by the Felician Sisters in Zhovkva. On August 27, 1892, seven young women were received as postulants of
the newly-founded Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate in the church in
Zhuzhel, and under the guiding hand of Sister Josaphata began their formation
in religious life. She initiated the educational and health care ministries
and oversaw the opening of new missions.
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| Sister Josaphata endured much during her short life from
misunderstanding, calumny and the ambition of others. On April 7, 1919
at the age of 49, she died in excruciating pain from tuberculosis of the
bone.
In November 1982 the mortal remains of Sister Josaphata were transferred from the cemetery in Krystynopil, Ukraine, to the Generalate in Rome. Her mortal remains were placed in an urn, which rests now in a small altar in the chapel in the Generalate. Hundreds of visitors to the Generalate have sought her intercession for their temporal and spiritual needs. The Generalate has received numerous testimonials of special graces received through her intercession. The Process of Canonization of Servant of God Sister Josaphata was initiated in the Eparchy of Przemysl in Poland in March, 1992. A member of the Canadian Province, Sister Dominic Slawuta, is the postulator. She wrote a biography of Sister Josaphata, "Prayer and Service", which was published in Canada in1996. It is available in English and Ukrainian. |
