Newark Community - Vocationist Sisters

Newark

Fr. Justin M. Russolillo is the founder of the Vocationist Sisters. His blood sister is the Co-Founder and First Superior General of the Vocationist Sisters. Fr. Justin was invited to direct a group of young and pious women who were used to get together regularly in the town of Pianura. He attended their meetings and formed them spiritually. After an intensive religious preparation, on August 15, 1914, he consecrated them to the Blessed Mother and called them ‘Slaves of Mary’. The group, on October 1, 1921 was called ‘The Sisters of Divine Vocations’- Vocationist Sisters, with the authorization of the Bishop of Pozzuoli Pasquale Ragosta.

The group started growing and spread throughout the whole world: Italy, France, Brazil, United States, Argentina, Philippines, India, Nigeria, Madagascar and Indonesia.

On July, 1967, a group of four sisters, invited by Fr. Mario Muccitelli of the Vocationist Fathers, came from Italy, to Newark, NJ, USA and started the first community. As soon as they arrived in Newark, they began teaching Catechism to the children, evangelizing the adults, and assisting the families in their needs and providing jobs.

After two years from their arrival, a man knocked at the door of the convent and told the sisters: “yesterday my wife left me with these three children. I have to go to work to provide for them. You must take care of my children. The sisters look at each other puzzled. That same day they decided to start a Nursery in their convent for children of working parents.

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170 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07104
Ph: 973-484-3535