The history of our mission and our Congregation began in 1868 when Franziska Lechner founded the religious order known as the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Charity in Vienna, Austria.

One of Mother Franziska’s visions was to provide a temporary home for women who were students or working professionals.   St. Mary’s Residence of New York is the fulfillment of that vision.  St. Mary’s Residence was the first American foundation of the Congregation who arrived from Hungary in 1913.

Throughout the years, many courageous women joined this religious order and became nuns, to help and support all women.   As actively apostolic religious, we are impelled by unconditional love of God and imbued with the Charism of our Foundress, Mother Franziska Lechner, to “make God’s love visible” to all.

To read more about our history and our other missions, please visit http://daughtersofdivinecharity.org