The Congrégation des Sœurs du Cœur Immaculé de Marie called “Suore Bene-Mariya” is a women’s religious institute, founded in 1958 in Burundi (Africa) in the diocese of Ngozi (northern Burundi). It is of diocesan right. The founder is the missionary of the White Fathers of Cardinal Lavigerie, Monseigneur Joseph Martin, first bishop of the diocese of Ngozi.
Today the Congregation of the Suore Bene Mariya is present in all the dioceses of Burundi.
The integral development of the family, through the education of women, has been the heart of the mission of the Suore Bene Mariya since 1958: to educate a woman = to educate society. In Burundi, as in other African countries, woman is called: the pillar of the family.
From the beginning, the Congregation has been concerned with the education of women, engaging in activities that lead to meeting and serving women, girls and children, working above all in primary, teacher-training, vocational and home economics schools so as to guarantee them a good education and good learning.
The Congregation runs health centers and hospitals, structures that provide the opportunity to meet and serve a large number of women and children. Other activities such as listening centers and an orphanage have been established in recent years.
The Congregation of the Suore Bene Mariya is missionary.
Missionary presence:
- In Tanzania since 1969
- In Chad since 2011
- In Niger since 2016
The Congregation of the Suore Bene Mariya is recognized by the Burundian government as a non-profit organization (ASBL: association sans but lucratif).
Charism
The charism of the Institute is to make the Christian spirit flourish in families according to the spirituality of Saint Ignatius of Loyola “Do everything for the greater glory of God”.