Servants of the Lord
and the Virgin of Matará
Our History
On March 19th, 1988, Feast of St. Joseph, Fr. Carlos Miguel Buela founded the Institute Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará, female branch of the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word, in San Rafael, Argentina. We are a religious community of Diocesan Right and together with the IVE we are comprised of Sisters, Priests, Brothers and Third Order members. The two religious Institutes share the same charism, have twin constitutions and both include active and contemplative branches. The sisters now number over 1,400 members present in 42 countries around the world.
The experience of religious life officially started with the solemn Mass presided by Most reverend Leon Kruk, Bishop of San Rafael, in the house donated to the Sisters on Represa Street, (actual formation house for Aspirants).
Approval as an Institute of Diocesan Right
The Most Reverend Andrea Maria Erba, Bishop of Velletri-Segni, where the General House of the Servidoras is found, established our Institute as a Religious Institute of Diocesan Right on March 24, 2004, during the First Vespers of the Solemnity of the Incarnate Word.
The decree of approval was read during the Holy Mass of thanksgiving for the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, on St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. The Holy Mass was presided by Most Reverend Bishop Erba and concelebrated by Most Reverend Archbishop Alberto Tricarico and by more than 50 priests of the IVE of Italy, missionaries, and diocesan priests. The Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará of all the communities in Italy, both apostolic and contemplative, participated.
We thank Most Reverend Bishop Erba for all the benefits we have received through him. And in a very special way, we thank our Founder, Fr. Buela, for his docility to the Holy Spirit in following the foundational inspiration, whose authenticity has been confirmed by the Church.
