Unafraid of new experiences, Anita challenged herself in many ways throughout her life. Exhilarated by her first ride on a power boat, Sister Mary Humiliata (left) and her life long friend Sister William (right) relished the freedom of sea and sky despite the confines of the religious habit (1965).
From 1963 to 1970, Sister Mary Humiliata (Anita) was Mother General of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters and Sister William ( Helen Kelley) was president of Immaculate Heart College. Both were national leaders in the renewal of Catholic religious life for women and the promotion of higher education for women. Together they were at the forefront of writing new Decrees for the IHM order which eventually led to the establishment of the new Immaculate Heart Community.
Anita M. Caspary, IHM is recognized as the only woman in U.S history to hold the positions of Mother General of a Catholic order of sisters and president of an inclusive ecumenical community. She was a transformative figure in religion and the women’s movement during the mid-twentieth century. She was featured on the cover of TIME magazine (February 23, 1970) because of her significant role in the renewal of U.S. Catholic religious communities of women.
In a democratically elected forum, Caspary and her community rewrote their religious Decrees influenced by the Vatican II documents, modern psychology and the women’s movement. This provoked the ire of the local cardinal-archbishop, who in 1969 fired all the IHM sisters from the Los Angeles Catholic schools if they would not submit to his demands. Under Caspary’s bold leadership, 400 Sisters of the Immaculate Heart rejected the dictates of the hierarchy and created a new Christian community with a commitment to social justice and ecumenism. The Immaculate Heart Community continues to welcome Christians from a variety of denominations, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.
In 2014, the legacy of the Immaculate Heart Community and Anita Caspary were remembered by Sister Theresa Kane, S.M., former president of the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious. She stated,
"The Immaculate Heart experience was a pivotal point, a lightning rod. American religious women would not have been as effective in making the renewal changes without Anita Caspary and the IHMs. In a very powerful manner, Anita Caspary and the IHMs expanded the environment of change for U.S. women religious and led the way. This is a new form of religious life."
A noted scholar, teacher, lecturer, poet, spiritual director and social justice activist, Caspary promoted the education of women throughout her life and in all the administrative positions she held.
Anita M. Caspary, IHM is recognized as the only woman in U.S history to hold the positions of Mother General of a Catholic order of sisters and president of an inclusive ecumenical community. She was a transformative figure in religion and the women’s movement during the mid-twentieth century. She was featured on the cover of TIME magazine (February 23, 1970) because of her significant role in the renewal of U.S. Catholic religious communities of women.
In a democratically elected forum, Caspary and her community rewrote their religious Decrees influenced by the Vatican II documents, modern psychology and the women’s movement. This provoked the ire of the local cardinal-archbishop, who in 1969 fired all the IHM sisters from the Los Angeles Catholic schools if they would not submit to his demands. Under Caspary’s bold leadership, 400 Sisters of the Immaculate Heart rejected the dictates of the hierarchy and created a new Christian community with a commitment to social justice and ecumenism. The Immaculate Heart Community continues to welcome Christians from a variety of denominations, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.
In 2014, the legacy of the Immaculate Heart Community and Anita Caspary were remembered by Sister Theresa Kane, S.M., former president of the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious. She stated,
"The Immaculate Heart experience was a pivotal point, a lightning rod. American religious women would not have been as effective in making the renewal changes without Anita Caspary and the IHMs. In a very powerful manner, Anita Caspary and the IHMs expanded the environment of change for U.S. women religious and led the way. This is a new form of religious life."
A noted scholar, teacher, lecturer, poet, spiritual director and social justice activist, Caspary promoted the education of women throughout her life and in all the administrative positions she held.
This website is an introduction to the life, spirituality, writings and achievements of Anita M. Caspary, IHM.
Reading at the age of four began Anita’s love of literature and learning.
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Letters and words were toys and gave joy to Anita at an early age
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"Religious life agreed with me. I found much peace and happiness in the convent." Witness to Integrity: The Crisis of The Immaculate Heart Community of California |
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Helen Kelley and Anita Caspary join hands and hearts in leading the IHM community into a new identity. Kelley became the second president of the Immaculate Heart Community in 1973. The following passage epitomizes the aims and goals of the IHM women and men.
"What the world desperately needs is bridges, individuals and groups who, like Christ Himself, put an end to all the distances which divide men [sic] and which hinder their access to truth, dignity and full human development." Prologue to IHM Decrees (1967) Learn about the Immaculate Heart Community. |
Anita 85 years
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Although Anita gained much attention for her leadership in the creation of the new ecumenical IHM Community, she had a wide variety of scholarly interests. She was editor of a book on the work of Nobel Laureate Francois Mauriac, authored writings about the work of women in the 17th century, promoted the rights of Catholics in the Church, authored articles against the nuclear arms race.
Throughout her life she promoted the development of women’s spirituality, and in 1985 initiated the Women’s Wholistic Retreat which continues today at the Villa Maria del Mar Center in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about Villa Maria del Mar. |
