Sr Mary Savio – one of the white-habited sisters you have seen singing on YouTube – is about to undergo a long and serious operation at great expense. Can you help?
We interrupt regular material from The WM Review with an urgent fundraiser for a Sister about to undergo extensive surgery.
Please read this important message.
(We don’t normally do this kind of thing – but we were too late to notify readers about the previous surgery in June, so here goes.)
Earlier in the year, Sister Mary Savio of the Sisters of St Thomas Aquinas underwent really serious brain surgery to deal with Intercranial Hypertension – “a condition involving excess fluid and pressure around the brain.”
The surgery was a success, but now she must undergo further operations – tomorrow (Friday 25 September 2026).
Sister Mary Savio’s parents have set up a GoFundMe fundraiser for this operation and aftercare – which, because they are not covered by insurance, will cost a cool $92,000.
Can you chip in and help cover these costs?
FYI: This link may not work with a VPN.
What’s happening to Sister Mary Savio
Sister Mary Savio is the First Communicant instructor and manages the Flex courses online for Queen of All Saints Academy – an in-person and online school doing really impressive work.
Here are the details of the surgery on the fundraiser:
Six months ago, after living with immense pain, Sister Mary Savio was diagnosed with intracranial hypertension, a condition involving excess fluid and pressure around the brain, along with compression near the C1 and C2 vertebrae that was restricting blood flow at the brainstem. Because her surgery had to be performed by a specialist in Germany, it was not covered by insurance. Thanks to your generosity and prayers, she underwent that surgery in June and found real relief.
In the three months since, however, she has suffered increasing abdominal and back pain and significant weight loss. Her doctors have identified several additional conditions that require surgery. The cost of the operation and aftercare is $92,000.
This is a long and serious operation in which the doctors will perform four procedures to treat the following:
A replacement of the L5 disc in her lower spine
May-Thurner syndrome, a compression of a major vein in the pelvis
Nutcracker syndrome, a compression of the vein draining the left kidney
Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome, a compression of the small intestine that makes eating painful and has contributed to her weight loss
All funds raised go directly to the Sisters of St. Thomas Aquinas. Any donation, large or small, will be deeply appreciated and will help relieve the burden on our family and the Sisters.
Please offer your prayers for her surgeons and medical team as she goes into surgery tomorrow, Friday, September 25: for a safe surgery, an easy recovery, and especially for her to bear this cross with perseverance. If you are unable to give, please consider sharing this page and praying for Sister Mary Savio, the Sisters, her doctors, and all those helping her through this difficult time.
Can you help reach the $92,000 target?
Who are the Sisters of St Thomas Aquinas
For a few years now, X has seen a few viral videos of white-habited Sisters singing Gregorian chant in a high gothic church. These videos have garnered much admiration, for the beauty of the singing and the architecture of the chapel – as well as appreciation for a young religious order of Sisters.
The Congregation was founded by Bishops Donald Sanborn and Joseph Selway, and is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Institute and Most Holy Trinity Seminary. They adhere to the Thesis of Cassiciacum of Mgr Guérard des Lauriers – holding that the Holy See is currently vacant formaliter (whilst being occupied materialiter).
(You can read more about the Thesis here, and Mgr Guérard des Lauriers here.)
The Sisters say this about the nature of their congregation:
“[T]he Congregation is devoted to the Catholic education of the youth. The Sisters, therefore, have the teaching of truth at heart.”
An important part of the congregation’s activity is running Queen of All Saints Academy.
Congregations like the Sisters of St Thomas Aquinas can’t rely on big bailouts like Novus Ordo religious orders might.
While the Sisters are dedicating themselves to providing a Catholic education for children all over the world, can you give them a hand and help them support Sr Mary Savio?
And while you’re at it – make sure you share her GoFundMe with anyone who you think would like to help:
P.S.: Defending the Sisters back in January
In January of this year, the Sisters’ popularity attracted the abuse of Fr Matthew Schenider – himself a member of the Legionaries of Christ, the congregation founded by the disgraced priest, drug addict, sexual offender (of individuals of both sexes) and a father of six illegitimate children, Marcial Maciel.
He and others responded to the Sisters’ advert about a Vocational Retreat for Young Women with accusations of schism.
When challenged, Schneider (host of SPQN’s Vatican II in a Year podcast, and known for his enthusiastic promotion of the COVID vaccines) doubled down – HARD.
I wrote in their defence, and this provided the opportunity to consider the topic of communion, and whether “sedevacantists” are in schism with the Catholic Church:
It also was an opportunity to expose the hypocrisy of some of our opponents.
An order that openly confesses that the Church is suffering an extended vacancy of the Holy See will always struggle to raise funds when compared to one that does not.
And they need the funds to support their members through thick and thin.
Do your bit today and help Sister Mary Savio’s GoFundMe!
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Today is the Feast day of Our Lady of Ransom.