Spiritual Heritage
Our spirituality
Filled with faith
By accepting the Cross, Mother Marie Clarac was able to share in the suffering of Christ. The love of the Cross, the symbol of our salvation, helps us through pain, fatigue and the frustrations and surprises of daily life. Through the spirituality of the Cross, we disseminate the joy promised by Jesus. In our apostolate, we encourage a deeper knowledge and love of the Virgin Mary – an intimate, active and irreplaceable presence for us. We live in a community, in a place where our apostolic spirit and our true religious spirit are one. We devote ourselves to God in our active life, while still embracing the importance of contemplative prayer.
Three Christian virtues
In all the occasions where we can help our brothers, three Christian virtues impregnate our hearts: humility, simplicity and charity. Thus, we transmit the message of God with the will to help and evangelise.
We are an active, forward-looking religious community. We are inspired by the Virgin Mary to carry out our tasks with humility and generosity. Our founder, Marie Clarac – a woman who worked tirelessly to help the poor – is a model of devotion and service for us.
The many forms of charity
Our charism manifests itself in various charitable endeavours, guided by the examples and teachings present in the Gospel. We focus primarily on educating children at the preschool, primary and secondary level and ministering to the elderly and sick in hospitals, at home or in nursing care facilities. Our community is also active in missionary work in countries where there is a great need for humanitarian and religious aid.
The Eucharist
The worship of the Eucharist is at the centre of our religious life. Every day, we celebrate the Eucharist « of one heart and of one soul » (Acts 4:32) to reinforce the tie between charity and fraternal union. We prepare for the Eucharist by listening to the Word of God and participate in the attentive and devout recitation of the parts of the liturgy reserved for the assembly. We strive to deepen our understanding of the meaning of prayers, rites and biblical passages. For us, the sacramental communion, the ultimate path toward union with the divine Messiah, is the inspiration for our chastity as well as the strength that enables us to accomplish our mission of providing education and assistance within the community. Through the observance of rules, the fulfillment of duties and the performance of acts of kindness in our daily life, we gain a greater appreciation for the value and blessings of humility, silence, receptiveness to others, generosity and selflessness in everything we do.
Caring for the sick and elderly
Tending to the sick and elderly is an important part of fraternal life – especially given the ever-growing number of senior citizens in our world. Many of our elderly are relegated to a life of isolation. But they have a great deal of wisdom and insight to pass down to younger generations. By being there and listening to them, we are sure to gain from the experience.
For more on our work, click here.