The International Literacy Day was established by UNESCO in 1967 with the aim of promoting the importance of literacy and learning. In B&H, the Sisters of Charity gave an immeasurable contribution to the upbringing and education, ie literacy, the sowing of knowledge and culture, and thus left an indelible mark on our people.
Namely, from Zagreb, at the invitation of Bishop Fr. Paškal Vuičić, on November 14, 1871, the Sisters of Charity of St. Vinko Paulski came to Sarajevo to serve the needy. It is worth mentioning the names of the first four sisters who dared to venture into the unknown. They were: S. Filomena Massi, S. Rajmunda Perentin, S. Emilija Gašparić and Rufina Radonić. Thanks to the Bosnian friars who made sure that the sisters had modest accommodation, the sisters immediately set about opening a girls' elementary school with 48 students and were thus woven into the foundations and development of education in B&H. Their first mission was upbringing and education, and then to help the sick, the infirm, and the poor. In the first 27 years of operation, they built and opened 12 schools in different cities of B&H.
After World War II, all their property was confiscated illegally and insensitively. They were not allowed to work in education nor health care. They were forced to give up even their religious attire, and work in civilian clothes. In such difficult circumstances, the sisters did not allow themselves to get confused, but continued their charitable activities. In 1974, the Province of the Mother of Divine was founded, which still operates within the borders of B&H.
Also, in the past war the sisters suffered a difficult fate. They were expelled from their monasteries and almost all their monasteries were destroyed. In Banja Luka, together with the pastor, Rev. Filip Lukenda, religious teacher, catechist and organist S. Cecilija Grgić was killed and burned. Today, the Sisters of Mercy in B&Hhave 12 monasteries and are active in educational, health and social-charitable activities. (Željka Šaravanja)
