The Oblates of Notre Dame (OND) is a congregation of women religious born in Cotabato City, at the heart of Mindanao, in Southern Philippines, in 1956. The first two members were Sr. Ma. Estrella Adre, OND and Sr. Mary Rose Quijano, OND. They responded to God’s call through the invitation of two pioneers of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) in the Philippine mission, Bishop Gerard Mongeau and Fr. George Dion. Together they realized a dream: to reach out to thousands of uncatechized in remote areas in the empire province of Cotabato! “The vision was a well-trained mobile force, well grounded in solid theology and know-how, capable of fanning out into small groups to meet the demands of the times, one that is flexible, holding on to the essentials, willing to sacrifice the accidentals for the Reign of God.” (Preface, OND Constitutions).
In 1961 the OND was erected as a Pious Union and in 1984 she received the decree of approval as an Apostolic Institute of Pontifical Right. Here the OND is described as “a group of women living in religious community whose primary aim is constant communion with our Lord and service to our brothers and sisters: a life of contemplation and action.
In 1981, the OND became a sending church. As a 25th Jubilee gift to the Church, the OND sent the first OND missionaries to mission exchange in Papua New Guinea. Subsequently in 1992, OND missionaries were sent to Texas, USA and in 2011, in Japan.
Presently the OND Sisters participate in the local churches in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Japan, and the United States.