Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph
(JMJ)
Dr Mary Glowrey’s life was inextricably linked to the context of her homeland. Born into Australia marked by sectarian division, economic struggle, and a vibrant Catholic faith, she inherited a spirit of courage, justice, and missionary zeal. Her rural upbringing, Catholic formation, and bold pursuit of medicine all stemmed from this Australian background, preparing her for a life of extraordinary service to God and humanity.
A chance reading of a pamphlet about the appalling death rate among babies in India, and the desperate need for medical missionaries, fundamentally changed the direction of her life. Falling to her knees, Mary finished reading the pamphlet and knew that God had called her to help the women and children of India. Mary, describing this moment many years later, said: “My life’s work lay clear before me now. It was to be medical mission work in India.”
In 1916, Mary Glowrey was elected the first General President of the newly formed Catholic Women’s Social Guild, now known as the Catholic Women’s League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga. She completed her Doctor of Medicine degree in December 1919 and began working at three eminent hospitals in Melbourne, in addition to managing her own private practice.
On 21 January 1920, surrendering her thriving medical career to God’s will, Mary sailed for India to become a medical missionary. She joined the Society of Jesus Mary Joseph in Guntur as its first postulant in India, made her temporary profession on 28 November 1921, and her perpetual profession on 29 November 1924.
Because religious sisters were prohibited from practising medicine at the time, Pope Benedict XV granted a special permission to Dr Mary Glowrey to continue her medical work after her temporary profession. Later, Pope Pius XI bestowed a special blessing on her medical mission. Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart, as she was then known, thus became the first missionary nun-doctor.
In 1943, Mary founded the Catholic Hospitals Association, presently known as the Catholic Health Association of India, which has grown to become one of the largest Non-Government Organisations (NGO) in the health care sector. Her vision was the establishment of a Catholic Medical College in India to train professionals whose medical care would be grounded in an understanding of the absolute inviolability of human life and placed at the service of life. Sister Mary died on Sunday, 5 May 1957. Her last words were: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph” and “My Jesus, I love you”.
Cause for Canonisation
Initial thoughts about her canonisation arose in 2007, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her death and with the discovery of a large collection of letters written by Mary Glowrey and written about her. In February 2010, following the initiative of Jeanette Sheahan, the General President of the Catholic Women’s League of Australia, the canonisation process began through the Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph. Mary Glowrey Museum, Australia
Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart was declared a Servant of God by Bishop Gali Bali of Guntur on 27 March 2013 during the Chrism Mass at Infant Jesus Cathedral, Phirangipuram. On 14 April 2014, Sr. Mary Karickakunnel JMJ was appointed Postulator for the Cause in the Diocesan phase. On 11 October 2014, His Excellency Gali Bali appointed the Diocesan Board of Inquiry, and the opening session was held on 29 October 2014 at St. Agnes Church, Guntur. The inquiry continued at intervals across Guntur, Bangalore, and Hyderabad until 15 April 2015 for 34 witnesses.
With the permission of the Congregation for Causes of Saints, Sr. Mary’s mortal remains were exhumed and identified on 28 November 2016, then transferred to St. Joseph’s Convent campus, Guntur, and re-interred there on 29 November 2016. The Diocesan Inquiry concluded on 18 January 2017 during a public session at St. Joseph’s School Campus, Guntur, in the presence of Bishop Bhagyaiah Chinnabathini, Bishop Emeritus Gali Bali, tribunal members, clergy, religious, and the faithful. The Acts of the Tribunal and all documents were subsequently transmitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints through the Apostolic Nunciature, New Delhi.
On 17 October 2017, Rev. Dr Cherian Thunduparampil, CMI, was appointed Postulator for the Roman phase. At his request, the transmitted Acts were opened on 4 February 2018. The Decree of Validity of the diocesan inquiry was granted on 19 October 2018. Msgr. Paul Pallath was appointed Relator on 16 November 2018. The positio was submitted in May 2021, approved by historical consultors on 26 April 2022 and by theological consultors on 14 December 2023.
The meeting of Cardinals and Bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints was held on 18 November 2025, after which Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart was declared Venerable on 21 November 2025 by Pope Leo XIV. Dicastery for Causes of Saints
The person of Dr Mary Glowrey stands as one such beacon for our time, a sign of contradiction in the midst of our prevailing culture—a woman, a brilliant doctor, a visionary leader, a person of great holiness transformed by the power of Jesus’ love, who in the witness of her very person became a source of life for countless thousands. Her capacity to galvanise a new generation into action in the service of life and the protection of the weakest in our midst retains a freshness, a power and a potency which transcends the barriers imposed by culture, time and history. She was an exemplary religious and a model doctor.
Venerable Mary of the Sacred Heart Glowrey, intercede for us!
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