Istituto Mariano

About the Marian Institute - Bolivia

History written by Mother Lilia Capretti, CSAC ( +2023)

History & Origin

On May 8 1962, in the Diocese of Teveris-Alemania, His Excellency Bishop Dr. Matthias Wehr celebrated the act of sending three priests of the Diocese Pheinz Schmitt and four Sisters to Bolivia: Agnes Waldmann, Giorgina Wagner, Beatrix Mesmer, and Eugenia Hagen. They traveled to South America and arrived in Bolivia-Sucre in June1962, where they were well received by Archbishop Jose Clemente Maurer. The three priests and four nuns were assigned to the parish.

Since the Sisters didn’t yet have their own house, they stayed for a time in the Archbishopric of Sucre, carrying out various activities and conversing with the Archbishop on the possibility of founding a new community. 

On August 15, 1962, the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Marian Institute of the Catholic Apostolate was founded in the Archbishop’s presence. 

Mother Giorgina Wagner was elected as Superior, Mother Ines Waldman as assistant, Mother Eugenia as second assistant, and Mother Beatrice as novice mistress. On December 28, the four Sisters left for Monteagudo, where they were cordially received by the people. In January 1963, they began their service in the parish. In the first months they assisted the priests, taking care of the house, accompanying them for pastoral activities, and imparting catechetical teaching to adults, young people, and children. Sr. Eugenia, being a nurse, was in charge of the health care activity.

In 1963, the Institute of the Catholic Apostolate was officially recognized by the Diocese of Sucre-Bolivia as a Pious Union of H.E. Archbishop José Clemente Maurer, co-founder and protector of the small community, who motivated the Sisters to continue in the mission as consecrated life.

In January 1963, the Sisters were visited by the Archbishop of Sucre who helped them open the first community in Treveris, Germany. In 1963 they also began to receive the first postulants, thus initiating a Novitiate in the mother house of Monteagudo. They formed the first vocations with love and fidelity without neglecting apostolic commitments. In 1965 the first vestments were most joyfully made during a Eucharistic celebration for the first vows of six novices.

From the beginning, great importance was given to personal formation - both religious and professional - of the young women who came to the community. Some Sisters were sent to Germany for their human and spiritual formation.

The Marian Institute of the Catholic Apostolate developed under the direction of Divine Providence, carrying out important activities in both the apostolate of life and education, working at various schools and also in the College. In 1968, the "Villa Maria" rural school was started for adolescents coming from distant places who were not yet educated. After three Sisters who had come from Germany completed their nursing training, two health centers were set up, one of which was opened for leprosy patients.

In 1976, a house was bought in Sucre for the Sisters completing their formation. In the same year, the Constitutions were reviewed and approved in Rome as “positive, original, and good.” Furthermore, the Archbishop was granted authorization for the canonical foundation of the Institute as a “Religious Society of common life, without public vows.”

The Commitment of the Institute; the Spirit, Idea and Work of St. Vincent Pallotti

Mother Giorgina confirmed that, wanting to define the small community as a Marian Institute of the Catholic Apostolate, meant being aware that the reference is St. Vincent Pallotti (Constitutions).

In Bolivia, they are committed to work in the work of Pallotti as far as their possibilities allow. Many articles of the Constitutions testify to this.

On March 1, 1977, an official request was made to the Superior General of the Pallottine Fathers to belong to the spirituality of the Catholic Apostolate; and received a positive response to belong to our Founder.