“Detroit is destined to become the center of activity for the Society of Mary Reparatrix.” These words were uttered by the Reverend John Corbett, S.J. of New York city during his Sunday sermon which was delivered at the dedication of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix convent and retreat house for women on October 27, 1929.The new Convent was located at 17300 Quincy Avenue, Detroit, Michigan near Livernois and Six Mile. Across the street from the Convent was Gesu Parish and a block away the University of Detroit, a Jesuit institution. The new convent would serve as the novitiate for the Sisters in the United States. The Sisters of Mary Reparatrix opened their first retreat house in 1908 in New York city, but with the expansion of this new location, the mission of the Sisters, and especially the ministry of retreats, would be established in the diocese of Detroit. Bishop Gallagher, bishop of the diocese of Detroit, stated in his remarks that, because of the opening of the novitiate, women from all parts of the country would come to Detroit for their training and would then go out to the whole world to continue the vision of Mother Mary of Jesus (Emilie d’Oultremont, d’Hooghvorst).