Medical Missionaries of Mary

Area Leader: Sr. Celine Anikwem, MMM

Medical Missionaries of Mary,
3 Ehigiamusoe Street,
Ugbekun quarters,
Upper Sakponba Road,
P. O. Box 853, Benin City
Edo State

Email: westafricammm@yahoo.com

Mobile: +234(0)8062581007

Our Apostolate

Charism/Spirituality:
We live by the Spirit of the rule of St. Benedict and we share in the HEALING CHARISM of Christ. The aim of the Medical Missionaries of Mary is to seek God and the Kingdom through sharing Christ's Healing Mission in the world today.

Medical Missionaries of Mary get inspiration from the Gospel story of The Visitation. It was an amazing encounter, in which Mary spoke her 'Magnificat', a prayer of praise and a call that inspires us to action on behalf of those who are on the margins of society.

For more than 75 years, 'The Visitation' - has energized MMM Sisters to go to places of great need. In addition to many other areas of healthcare we put particular emphasis on the care of women and of children.

The spirituality of the MMM Family is deeply rooted in the Christian Gospel, and is closely linked to the tradition of Saint Benedict.

Information about Foundress
The foundress of the Medical Missionaries of Mary was Mother Mary Martin (Marie Helena Martin, 1892-1975) an Irish lady.

Mother Mary's vocation was crystallized in Nigeria when she came out on the invitation of the well-known Bishop Shanahan. She worked as a lay missionary in Calabar. While in Nigeria, she noticed the large number of women who died in child birth and the degradation and suffering of women. She saw the extent of people's suffering from ill-health, and had special concern for mothers and their young infants. She felt that alone she could do little, but if she could establish a group of women who would commit themselves to this work, the situation could be changed. She returned once more to Ireland with a view to recruiting others who would go back with her to Africa. She overcame many obstacles before her dream was realised including her constantly frail health and the prevailing prohibition by the Catholic Church of women religious from practising surgery and obstetrics. Mother Mary persevered in her dream and desire and in 1937 was granted permission to erect MMM. She did so on her sick bed and, a few weeks later, was shipped back to Ireland in very poor health. By the time she died in 1975 at the grand age of 83, she had navigated the congregation from its humble beginnings in Anua, in present day Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria to an international presence in 14 countries worldwide including Ethiopia, Italy, Spain and Taiwan. Today MMM has grown to become a group of about 400 women from 20 different nationalities working in 14 different countries.

MMM Apostolates/Ministries in Nigeria:
1. St. Mary's Hospital, Eleta, Ibadan, Oyo State.
2. MMM Benin City Integrated Project, Ugbekun Qtrs, Off Upper Sakponba Rd, Benin City.
3. Family Life Centre, Mbribit Itam, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
4. Our Lady Health of the Sick Medical Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.
5. Mile Four Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
6. Primary Health Care Centre, Fuka, Niger State.
7. MMM PHC Services, New Lugbe, Airport Road, Abuja.
8. Community Health Project, Amukoko, Lagos

Special Contribution to the Church In Nigeria
The Medical Missionaries of Mary have for 75 years gifted the Church and Nigerian society with quality health care services especially in the rural neglected areas of the country with a particular leaning to the care of Mother and Child. In a special way, the Medical Missionaries of Mary is the only group of religious that have an integrated programme to provide curative and rehabilitative services for the thousands of women afflicted with the humiliating condition Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF).

As part of our particular concern of the care for Mother and Child and the fostering of Family Life, MMMs have taught the Billings Method of Family Planning to thousands of couples. This intervention which is led by Sr. Leonie McSweeney, MMM goes beyond the number and spacing of children in families to include other aspects that improve and sustain harmony in families and HIV/AIDS prevention.

The Medical Missionaries of Mary also pioneered integrated services for Leprosy and Tuberculosis patients. MMMs have also been involved in socio-pastoral care in different dioceses.

Location of Generalate
MMM Congregational Centre, Rosemount, Booterstown, Blackrock, Co.Dublin, Ireland. rcsmmm@eircom.net Location of Principal House in Nigeria Medical Missionaries of Mary Convent, Ugbekun Quarters (By Presentation High School), Off Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Edo State.

Names of Places/Countries where we are The African countries are:
Nigeria, Angola, Rwanda, Uganda,
Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Republic of Benin.

Other countries are: Ireland, USA, Brazil, England, Honduras.

Location of Formation House/s
1. Postulants' House, Family Life Centre, Mbribit Itam, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

2. Novitiate, P. M. B. 085, Mapo, Eleta, Ibadan.

Sisters in Perpetaul Vows

Number of Sisters in Temporary Vows – 0

Golden Jubilarians

Necrology