Catechesis

To educate children and youth and to keep them from danger was the great passion of our Foundress Blessed Elisabetta Renzi. At the foundation of their Christian formation she put catechism, spiritual exercises, recitation of the rosary, devotion to the Eucharist, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mother Elisabetta worked tirelessly to make sure that the youth received adequate catechetical instruction. She was careful that nothing was lacking to the students that would enable them to grow sound in spirit and body.

From the beginning of the Congregation, Blessed Elisabetta had the conviction that God must be an integral part of our lives. Therefore, in teaching the young women of the time, she helped them learn how to live their lives for God. The Congregation came into being at a time when there was a desperate need for sound and compelling catechesis. Mother Elisabetta’s primary goal was to fulfill this need through catechesis and evangelization.

Our Constitutions states that, “We are called to be involved in the life of the parish, teaching catechism to children, youth, and young adults. The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows are catechists by vocation. Therefore, following the example of our Foundress, we experience the strength and urgency of a catechesis, which is the true school of Christian education. We commit ourselves to study and to live the truths of the Faith, so that our teaching will lead those who listen to it to a conscious and active faith and true relationship with God.”

The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows attentive to the needs of the church today continue in the footsteps of our Foundress to proclaim the Gospel through catechesis and evangelization in teen summer camps, parish vocation bible school camps, and college campuses. Following the example of our Foundress, our apostolic activity in the local Church is a commitment which we consider ours in a particular way because our Foundress Blessed Elisabetta Renzi was an untiring, talented, and sincere leader in parish life. We carry out our mission in the parish with generous dedication to God and animated by the great love of Our Lady of Sorrows, patroness of our Institute.