Fact Sheet: The CMRI Sisters

Alternate names:

The Sisters of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen
The Sisters of CMRI
The CMRI Sisters
(* CMRI stands for “The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen” in Latin: Congregatio Mariae Reginae Immaculatae.)

Purpose:

The glory of God and personal sanctification by means of the three vows and the Holy Rule, which includes the living of the Fatima message and Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin as taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort.

Spirituality:

St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Mary

Apostolates:

The living and spreading of the message Our Lady gave to the world at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, especially by means of

• Catholic media (printing, publishing and distributing Catholic reading materials) and religious goods
• Missions (teaching catechism, assisting the priests in parish work)
• Catholic education of youth (private K-12 schools)

Daily Prayers:

Includes 30 minutes of mental prayer; the Rosary (5 decades); Holy Mass (Latin Tridentine); Prime, Vespers and Compline from the Divine Office; Angelus; particular examen; 15 minutes of spiritual reading

Vows:

Simple vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience

Steps:

• 6 months to 1 year postulancy
• 1 year cloistered novitiate followed by
• 1 year as a novice with temporary vows (introduction to the active apostolate)
• 3 years temporary vows
• Perpetual profession of vows

Habit:

The Sisters wear a royal blue habit and scapular, navy blue veil with white lining, white guimpe and corona, Miraculous Medal on cord around neck, large black rosary at right side on black leather belt, gold ring on third finger of left hand. On Sundays and special feastdays, the Sisters who have 3-year vows or perpetual profession wear large brown scapulars.

History:

The Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immmaculate Queen was founded in 1967 to live and spread the message Our Lady gave to the word at Fatima in 1917: prayer, penance, reparation, and consecration to her Immaculate Heart. In its early days, the Sisters’ main apostolate was the publication and distribution of religious literature, as well as arranging lectures on the Fatima message and the Catholic Faith throughout the country. Soon they also became involved in teaching. Today, besides the K-12 academy, religious mail order house and print shop they staff at their motherhouse in Spokane, Washington, the Marian Sisters have several missions and smaller schools in other states. Since 1979, the Sisters have also been making recordings and performing occasional public concerts as “the Singing Nuns,” as they have come to realize that this, too, is a means of leading souls to God.

Requirements for Candidates:

• At least a high school diploma
• 35 years of age or younger
• Not separated or divorced (unless spouse is deceased)
• No dependents
• Good physical and mental health
• Traditional Catholic