What does a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother do
all day?
What a Sister does depends on the location and purpose of her ministry, since we serve the poor in a variety of ways.
Every day, each Sister engages in the following:
• Morning prayer
• Mass
• Ministry
• Evening prayer
• Socialize & do fun things together
Each day the Sisters also engage in personal and communal prayer time, the Liturgy of Hours (the Prayer of the Church), meditation/contemplation, sharing a meal and some leisure time with community members.
Where do the Sisters serve?
The U.S./Caribbean province of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother has ministries across Wisconsin; in Tulsa, Okla.; Wichita, Kan.; Denville, N.J.; and the Caribbean islands of Grenada, St. Lucia, Trinidad/Tobago and the Dominican Republic. Internationally we have locations in Germany, Italy, Austria, Brazil and Tanzania.
Do Sisters get to visit with family and friends?
Yes.
Where do Sisters live?
Sisters typically live in convents or homes within neighborhoods in the communities they serve. Sisters live together in community in the same home. Typically Sisters live in small groups.
Do Sisters own their own car?
No. A Sister is given a car to use for her ministry but the car belongs to the Congregation.
Do Sisters get a salary?
The salaries of Sisters who are in ministry are pooled and contributed to different community funds to enable them to serve the poor and sustain ministries in the Church.
Can Sisters take vacations?
Sisters take both vacation time and make a retreat every year. These can be individual or group. Vacations are used to refresh the body and soul, while retreats are made for spiritual rejuvenation.
How is a Sister assigned her ministry?
It varies. Sometimes a Sister is asked to do a particular service because of her qualifications and the need that is identified in a community. A Sister’s ministry is determined in dialogue with the Superior, the Sister and the identified need.
Can a Sister choose her ministry?
The community of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother has a mission: “to care for those in need, especially the poor.” Within that mission, each Sister has the opportunity to train and develop her skills. However, the community may ask a Sister to a particular position based on her existing talents and giftedness. If additional training or education is needed to fulfill a ministry position, the community provides for that.
Can a Sister choose the location of where she wants to work?
Once a Sister enters the community she will walk together with the group for the community and the common good. Her location of ministry will be determined in dialogue with the Superior and the community. We try to have Sisters minister in locations where there are other Sisters so as to live in community. If there is an identified need in a community where there are no Sisters, we try to send at least two Sisters there to fulfill the need.
How do congregations or orders differ from one another?
By their basic charism. For instance, Dominicans are a preaching order—evangelizing is a key aspect of their gift to the church. Benedictines live a monastic lifestyle and vow stability, staying in one place. Franciscans are evangelical congregations, that is, they work to serve the poor and oppressed of society. This evangelizing mandate leads to missions throughout the world.
What is an Associate and how does that differ from being a Sister?
SSM Associates are men and women of faith who respond to their baptismal call to nurture and deepen their spiritual life in affiliation with the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother. They embrace the values and ministries of the Sisters, commit to the challenge and encourage each other on their spiritual journey with mutual acceptance and respect. Learn more about the Associates program here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother?
We are an international community of women religious who were founded in Rome, Italy in 1883 by Mother Frances Streitel. We follow the Third Order Rule of St. Francis of Assisi. Our founding charism is to live an active contemplative life in order to be a transforming presence in the world of our day.
Our charism defines who we are and what we do:
“Through a dedicated life of apostolic service, vitalized by a contemplative spirit, we care for those in need, especially the poor, and in our own poverty seek the Lord above all.”
Who can become a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother?
A Catholic woman age 20-45 who desires to live the Gospel as a Franciscan religious to keep vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
How does one become a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother?
See the How Do I Become a Sister page for details about the steps on discernment and formation of becoming a Sister.
How long does it take to become a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother?
It is a gradual process. Vows are made after three years of initial formation. Perpetual Vows can be made after four more years.
Why become a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother?
If God is calling a woman to religious life, we invite her to consider becoming a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother for the following reasons:
• It is a way of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ as modeled by St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi.
• It is a great way to spread the Gospel and God’s love.
• It is a compassionate way to be of service to others, especially the poor.
• It provides many ways for a woman to become her best self in the midst of a community.
• It exposes her to many cultures.
• It provides companionship with others also committed to Gospel values.
• It allows her to be part of the larger movement of Church ministry, as we serve in many different countries.
• It allows her to work toward the future with women who have similar dreams!
What does it mean to be a Franciscan?
Being Franciscans means we are members of a religious order that was founded by St. Francis of Assisi. We are members of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi. The Third Order began in the middle ages with people who loved the ideals of St. Francis but wanted to do more ministry to help the poor. They formed communities of service and prayer to educate, provide healthcare and hospitality for pilgrims of the Church.
Franciscans give a special emphasis to helping to care for the poor just as St. Francis did.
What vows do Sisters take?
We take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
By our vow of poverty, we live the common life; that means that our salaries are pooled into different community funds to enable us to serve the poor and continue our ministries in the Church. We are given small monthly stipends on which to live and meet ordinary expenses.
By the vow of chastity, we “…follow Christ with undivided love. We give our entire being to God as an act of love….Our relationships with others are a vital support to celibate living….It is in community that we are called to share with one another our faith life, together making the Lord the integrating love of our life.
By the vow of obedience, we follow Jesus who surrendered His will to the will of the Father. We are open to be sent in mission to wherever there is need.
What do Sisters do for fun?
Many times what one does for fun depends on an individual’s interests. However, there are activities we all engage in communally such as playing board games, playing cards, listening to music, going to concerts and to movies, hiking and engaging in sports.
Other activities that lean more toward individual talents and interests that Sisters do in their free time include reading, arts and crafts, sports, writing, music, media, TV, cooking, or they engage in activities that are life-giving and energizing like visiting with friends and family, e-mailing, blogging, studying and researching topics of interest.
Do Sisters pray each day?
Each sister is asked to spend a half hour each day in meditation and personal prayer. Communally, the sisters pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the morning and evening and attend daily liturgy. Fifteen minutes each day is also devoted to spiritual reading. Every Sister also is asked to arrange a week of retreat annually, to go apart with the Lord for an extended period of silence, contemplation and spiritual direction.
Why do some Sisters wear habits and others do not?
The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother have the option of wearing a habit or dressing in lay clothes with the identifying community medal. Many choose to wear the habit as an external symbol of their consecration to the Lord. Those who choose to dress simply in lay clothes state that they want their living of the Gospel to be the sign of their consecration.
Congregation of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother
Third Order Regular of Saint Francis of Assisi
Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother Vocations - 9 Pocono Road - Denville, NJ 07834 - 973-627-0424 - ssmvoc@gmail.com
Sister Christine
© Copyright 2012 Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother.
