VATICAN CITY, JUNE 16 (ZENIT.org).- Yesterday John Paul II received the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, who were meeting in their first general chapter. The Holy Father gave them the examples of the Virgin Mary and Maximilian Kolbe as models for their vocation.

    This recently established religious congregation, which has 200 Sisters and 30 houses in different countries of the world, is dedicated to helping persons suffering from indigence. They are inspired in St. Francis of Assisi and St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, founder of the City of the Immaculate in Poland, who himself was a martyr of charity, having offered his life to save the father of a family condemned to death in the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp.

    In addition to the three traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the Franciscan Religious of the Immaculate pronounce a "Marian" vow, by which each Sister is totally consecrated to Mary for the coming of Christ's Kingdom on earth.

    "Imitate Mary's diligence in service of your neighbor, always trying to be assiduous in your work and abnegated in the apostolate" so that you will be "a sign of God's tenderness for the human race, and singular witnesses of the mystery of the Church, which is virgin, spouse, and mother," the Pope concluded. ZE00061606

We encourage you to check the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales and the Dossiers, features and Daily Dispatches from ZENIT International News Agency CWN, NE and ZENIT are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC, but provide this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.