Religious Communities for Women Chapter 17: The Franciscan Minims of the Perpetual Help of Mary Origins The Congregation of the Franciscan Minims of the Perpetual Help of Mary, also known as the Work of Reparation, was founded on June 24, 1942, in Zamora Michoacán, Mexico, by Rev. Mother María Concepción Zúñiga López, with the approbation of Bishop Figicheri y Pietassanta. This work is dedicated to St Francis of Assisi and aims at preserving his spirit of littleness, of humility and of poverty.  It is also dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help whom we choose as our Mother General, as the way that leads to full union with our Blessed Lord.  Thirdly, this work is finally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus since the work of reparation has for its main object to console this Divine Heart. Purpose of the Institute Charity and immolation are the two characteristics of our duties towards God and His interests.  Our ideal is Jesus, the Incarnate Word in his state of Victim, immolated out of love for His Heavenly Father.  This ideal comprises two duties: zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, and reparation to the Divine Justice for all the outrages and sins of the world in order to obtain blessings and mercy.  Each member must tend to this ideal by becoming a faithful imitator of the virtues of the Crucified, above all the charity and immolation of His Heart, hidden in the Holy Eucharist. We consecrate ourselves to the salvation of souls especially by prayer, sacrifice and some apostolate.  For this, we try to revive in our Institute the primitive Franciscan spirit of simplicity, poverty, humility, love and sacrifice to counteract the spirit of the world, falsehood, luxury, pride, selfishness and sensuality. Particular activities In order to strengthen the life of prayer and to compensate indifference towards the Blessed Sacrament, our Institute binds itself to uninterrupted and perpetual adoration. Thus, the Minim Sister wishes to compensate the lack of prayer and of fervor before Divine Justice.  She commits herself to make of her ordinary life a continual prayer, non only of demand but also of adoration, especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Our apostolate takes place within the convent walls, since we are cloistered.  It consists in giving doctrinal conferences to women and catechism to young girls in order to restore feminine Christian morals and customs, as well as a sound prayer life.  We also publish the magazine “Estrella” and various bulletins to spread the light of truth in far away homes. Let all be for the glory of God! Rev. Madre Superior Av Xochiquetzal #249 Santa Isabel Tola Del. Gustavo A. Madero 07010 México, D.F. Mexico To Contents To Chapter 18