Social Service, Sisters of

views updated

SOCIAL SERVICE, SISTERS OF

(SSS), a congregation of women religious founded in 1923 in Budapest, Hungary, for social service work. In 1926 the first American foundation (the Sisters of Social Service of Los Angeles, Official Catholic Directory #4080) was made in Los Angeles, CA; it became a motherhouse for U.S. and Canadian foundations in 1956. Another branch of this congregation was established as a diocesan congregation with its motherhouse in Buffalo, NY (Official Catholic Directory #4090). Its special objective is to engage in social and pastoral activities at parish and diocesan levels. The sisters are engaged in education and literacy programs, catechetics, retreats, counseling, spiritual direction, camps for children and youth, ministries to the elderly, immigrants and ethnic minorities, legal services and social outreach programs for the poor, as well as justice and peace work.

[j. m. renfro/eds.]

More From encyclopedia.com