The Congregation of The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows, a living part of the Church, has received from God, through the Foundress Elisabetta Renzi, the gift of witnessing in the world to the enduring presence of the preferential love of Christ for the young, the poor, the weak and the needy. (Constitutions of the Congregation n. 1)
The love that our Foundress, Mother Elisabetta Renzi, had for Jesus Crucified and his Most Sorrowful Mother brought her to share that love with “those poor souls who do not know the gift of God.”
It all begins with love!
Saint Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, writes: “To each person, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1Cor. 12:17)
This specific gift received from God for the benefit of His children and His Church is referred to as charism. Mother Elisabetta received a gift, which has been passed on to all her daughters, the gift of evangelization and education.
The characteristics of our charism include:
- The following of Christ who was poor: “in the stable where he was born, and on the cross where he died, He did not have everything that was necessary.” (Bl. Elisabetta Renzi)
- The acceptance of the cross.
- Love of the Eucharist, which is the source of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows’ spiritual life and mission.
- Love of evangelization, catechesis and education
- Abandonment to Providence
- Intense union with God in prayer
- Union and communion with the other sisters
- A spirit of service in charity and humility, simplicity, cordiality, joy in duty, gladness of spirit, and love leading to sacrifice
- Being contemplatives in apostolic action as our motto states -“to burn and to light.”
We are all committed to being faithful to the “grace of origins,” placing our personal gifts and experiences at the service of the mission of the Congregation and accepting its common
values.
