Daughters of the Queenship of Mary (DQM)
By Fr. Vaclav Klement, SDB
DQM as a secular institute of archdiocese of Bangkok, Thailand was founded by Fr. Carlo della Torre, a Salesian missionary priest in December 3,1954. The foundation was inspired by the Apostolic Constitution Provida Mater Ecclesiae of Pius XII (1947). At its origin was a group of women who desired to serve God. Notwithstanding the opposition from the Salesian superior, Servant of God, Fr. Carlo della Torre pursued his charism, encouraged by periodical inspirations from the Holy Spirit, who guided him throughout his life to fulfill this mission of founding an institute of consecrated life. The founder stressed that his daughters should work and pray under the guidance of Mother Mary. In 1955, the first 7 members made their first profession of the evangelical counsels at the chapel of Mons. Louis August Chorin, MEP - Apostolic Vicar of Bangkok.
The institute has been founded with the aim to gather together catholic virgins or widows and to renew and expand the kingdom of God through prayer and various activities for those in need, particularly through education and evangelization of the young amidst the people of other religions. The specific points of DQM secular institute is consecration in secular environment, living in communities with the spirit of St. John Bosco and practice his Preventive System of education as their life-style. Since 1986 the Institute is officially accepted as the 18th member of the Salesian Family since 1996. In the EAO region they are historically the first secular institute, since the VDB were started in Macau only in early 60th of the last century.
At present the DQM has 42 members (33 perpetually and 9 temporary professed) with 2 in initial probation and 4 candidates. The members are present in 4 diocese of Thailand (Bangkok – 29, Ratchaburi – 2, Nakornratchasima – 2, Udornthani – 3, Chiangmai – 1 and Surathani – 5). Their center is located in Bangkok. The General Superior is in office until 2017, she was elected after the official division of the DQM in 2011 between the ‘secular’(DQM) and ‘religious’ (SQM – Sisters of the Queenship of Mary) part. New website in Thai language was launched in September 2015 (http://www.dqmi.org).
