The letter was read by Sister Mary Josephine Mulligan, a Grey Sister of the Immaculate Conception of Pembroke, Ontario. Not only was Sister in agreement with the ideas expressed, but she herself had had the desire to establish such a Community, for the good of the Church. It seemed that Divine Providence wanted to establish this new religious family under the care of both a Mother and Father.

Sister Mary Josephine corresponded with Father Ryan, who invited her to come to Guelph, where she could begin the work in the Parish of Our Lady Immaculate. Sister spoke to her superiors in Pembroke of her desire. They regretted that she wished to withdraw from the Grey Sisters' Community. Eventually, they gave the permission, as also did the Bishop of Pembroke. Permission was also sought from the Bishop of Hamilton, Bishop Paul Reding, who readily gave his approval.

Guelph

On August 1, 1977 Sister Mary Josephine came to Guelph to begin the new Foundation.

Beside the towering and beautiful Church of Our Lady Immaculate there is a small grey stone house, formerly the caretaker's cottage; This was to be the Community's first convent. Many parishioners donated furniture, household articles, food and other necessities to make Sister feel welcome and to show their support of her work. Sister was now working for the Wellington County Separate School Board as Religious Consultant, helping to direct the teachers towards better catechetics and also support the new small religious community.

Always Sister kept in mind the ideal of a fervent Community of Sisters, faithfully living the vows of Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience. They would be obedient to the Magisterium of the Church, and would have as their principal apostolate the teaching of Catechism.

The Sisters would be known as Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate.

During the months following Sister's arrival, publicity brought inquiries and visits from young women interested in the religious life. They spoke with Sister and with Father Ryan. In the autumn of 1978 the first young woman entered as a candidate. Others followed in the months and years to come. A special gift from Our Lord was the arrival of Sister St. Henry Moloney in 1981, another Grey Sister of Pembroke, who would help Sister Mary Josephine in the new Foundation. Both sisters knew each other well, having been on Mission together in the Dominican Republic in the 1950's and sharing the desire to help build up the Church by their fidelity to their vowed lives out of love for Christ.

Cambridge, Ontario and Port Hood Nova Scotia

Soon the convent in Guelph was too small for the community and a new convent was found in Cambridge (Preston) Ontario. In 1980 Our Lady's Convent was blessed and Father Ryan offered the first Mass in the new chapel.

In 1995, with the invitation of the Parish Priest of St. Peter's Church in Port Hood, Nova Scotia,and the approval of His Excellency Bishop Colin Campbell, Sister Mary Josephine sent three young sisters to open the Community's first Mission House.Here they would care for a smaller number of seniors and participate in the parish catechetical program. In time, the convent chapel would become one of the first Eucharistic Adoration Chapels in Nova Scotia, making it possible for adults as well as youth and children to grow in their relationship with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, through twelve hours of Eucharistic Adoration a day.

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In the year 2000, the Community, fulfilling the wish Mother Mary Josephine had expressed before her death, began wearing a more traditional styled Habit complete with Our Lady's scapular and holy rosary.

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Glen Morris, ON

In 2005, with the growing number of young women entering the Community, Our Lady Immaculate Formation House was opened in Glen Morris, Ontario and blessed by His Excellency, Bishop Anthony F. Tonnos, Bishop of Hamilton.