Blessed Josaphata Mykhailyna Hordashevska

Biography

Blessed Josaphata Mykhailyna Hordashevska, also known by various other names such as Giosafata Hordaševska, Michalina Jozafata Hordaszewska, and Yosafata Hordashevska, was a Greek Catholic Sister and founder of the Sisters Servant of Mary Immaculate. She was born on November 20, 1869, in Lviv, Ukraine, as Mykhailyna Hordashevska.

At the age of 18, Blessed Josaphata entered the contemplative Basilian Sisters. However, when the Basilians decided to establish a new women's congregation that focused on the active life, Sister Mykhailyna was chosen to lead it. She became the first member of the Sisters Servant of Mary Immaculate and took the name Josaphata, in honor of Saint Josaphat.

The Sisters Servant dedicate themselves to serving people where the need is greatest, particularly through teaching and caring for the sick. Blessed Josaphata's work perfectly embodied this mission. She founded day care centers, enabling parents to work in the fields while ensuring their children were cared for. She also studied herbal medicines and created homemade remedies for those who could not afford physicians.

Additionally, Josaphata took it upon herself to read the lives of the saints to the illiterate, bringing them spiritual comfort and guidance. She and the Sisters faced challenging situations in areas affected by typhus and cholera epidemics. They courageously worked to restore churches and taught people how to make liturgical vestments.

Unfortunately, Blessed Josaphata encountered significant opposition from both laity and clergy due to societal prejudices against women assuming positions of authority. Many false accusations were made against her. Despite these challenges, Josaphata remained steadfast in her faith and confronted all obstacles with prayer.

Tragically, Blessed Josaphata succumbed to tuberculosis of the bone on April 7, 1919, in Krystynopil, Ukraine. She was buried in Krystynopil initially, but her remains were later transferred to a chapel at the Generalate of the Sisters Servants in Rome in November 1982.

Blessed Josaphata Mykhailyna Hordashevska's tireless and selfless dedication to serving the marginalized and her unwavering faith amidst adversity led to her beatification on June 27, 2001, by Pope John Paul II in Ukraine.

Today, the Sisters Servant of Mary Immaculate continue their mission, with houses established not only in Ukraine but also in Canada and Brazil, carrying on the legacy of their beloved founder, Blessed Josaphata Mykhailyna Hordashevska.