Mother Caritas, in company with 6 other Sisters, arrived in Tuquerres, Nariño, Colombia, on March 31, 1893, the date which marks the origen of our Congregation.

Tuquerres was made the Motherhouse of the new Congregation, which dedicates its efforts to the integral education of young girls, a labor streching over 34 years in the region and from there spread its apostolate in various parts of northern and southern Colombia and other countries.

The Motherhouse and Novitatiate was moved from Tuquerres to Pasto in 1927.

Mother Caritas obtained the privilage of Perpetual Adoration for the Motherhouse in 1928 and since then, Jesus, in the Eucharist has received the home of Reparation, Love and Confidence.

Father Herbrand:  Co-founder and Spiritual Guide. 

God gave us a providential gift in Father Reinaldo Hebrand, who guided and affirmed the work of Mother Caritas.  Originally from Gemund, Germany, he dedicated his apostolate to our Congreagtion for thirty years.  Therefore we considered him as our co-founder.

Division of the Congregation into Provinces.  In 1964 the Congregation was divided into 

Provinces: 

• Bogota
• Pasto
• Central America
• United States
• Switerzerland

In 2002, a sixth Province was established in Ecuador and Peru.  Two missions were establised in Africa: Mali and Benin.

History of the Congregation in Amarillo. 

In August, 1932, at the request of Bishop Rudolf A. Grekin, the first bishop of this Diocese of Amarillo, six sisters were sent from Colombia to Amarillo, Texas.

In September 1932, four more sisters were sent.  On February 28, 1933, authorization was granted, permiting the erection of a novitiate.

The community in Amarillo grew and flourished, establishing schools and houses in:

• The Texas Panhandle
• California
• New Mexico

The Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate branched off from the root congregation founded in the 16th century in Switzerland. Early in the 19th century, in answer to an earnest plea from a Bishop in Ecuador, our foundress, Blessed Mother Caritas Brader, with a small group of sisters left Switzerland arriving in Ecuador. Later on they settled in Colombia. There they flourished and grew into the present congregation of Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate.

Their work spread throughout the regions of South, Central and North America. Today our Congregation has extended into 6 provinces present in many countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Cuba, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, U.S.A, Spain, Italy and Switzerland and Africa.

St. Francis Convent was founded in Amarillo, Texas, on August 15, 1932. Today our Province of St. Francis of Assisi is serving the people of God in Los Angeles, CA, Amarillo,TX, Florida, Kansas, MO and Mexico.