The Misericordia Family

Since  the foundation of the Institute of the Misericordia Sisters, lay  people have  contributed  to their mission of service in works throughout  its  history. Unity of  mind  and heart was established between persons, which  later  gave birth to a spiritual Family.

The Misericordia Family is made up of different groups of people  who feel called to live the spirituality of  Misericordia in their lives  and in their respective milieu.

Each person is united to those  touched  by the  same charism in order to be  “hospitality”  for others  within  the Church and in the world.

The members of this Family recognize  themselves  by a common Gospel characteristic, compassion:

“To live the  Mercy  of Jesus  the Savior with young girls and women who are pregnant out-of-wedlock and with their children and, also, with married women who find it difficult to live their pregnancy.”

These people  are in communion  to  the same charism. They  are nourished by the same spirituality  and  are in solidarity with the same mission, according to  different  functions within their own state of life.

Spirituality

The contemplation of  merciful  Jesus is the source of the spirituality,  first part of this  charism.

Mission

The mission is  sustained  by contacts  with  single mothers  and their  child,  second part of the charism.

Spirit

The charism, lived  in this way,  confers  to those who live it,  a spirit  which is  characterized by unconditional  love, compassion, non-judgment and simplicity in  their relationships  with others.

Under the breath of the Spirit, the different members of the spiritual Family are called to live in  a  closer  communion in order to  better  answer the call they have received.

Groups of Members

The Misericordia Family is composed of the following groups:

Misericordia Sisters,                                  Misericordia Friends,  

Misericordia and Life Group,                   Prayer Network,  

Hope and Solidarity Group,                      Private Vows,

Heritage Group,                                         Collaborators,

Twin Works,                                                 Parent Groups  

Missionary Daughters of Misericordia,     Misericordia Childhood  Group,

Lanterns  of  Rosalie,                                  Family Home of Rosalie.

Modes  of belonging  for  groups

The members  of these groups  collaborate  in  the mission and  are free to  make a commitment  or not  in the Family:

The  Misericordia  Sisters commit  themselves  by perpetual vows and  the lay people commit themselves by private vows to live one or several vows.

The Missionary Daughters of Misericordia and some  members of  the  Misericordia Friends, Misericordia and Life, Hope and  Solidarity, the Prayer Network and the Parent Group  choose to  commit themselves  personally  to live Misericordia in the footsteps of Jesus Saviour according to the way determined by each group.

The other groups do not make a commitment but  they  are  part  of the Misericordia Family  like  those  mentioned above.

The Family  ties are  at the level of the spirit, that is,  there is no legal or canonical  bond  between the Institute and the  members of the  Family.

Gatherings

Celebration is present in the life of the Family. During the year, different  groups  gather  together  to celebrate  on special occasions, for example on the feast day of Our Lady of Mercy,  September 24th;  on  the second Sunday of Easter  for  the  feast of Divine  Mercy  and  on  the feast day of  Rosalie Cadron-Jetté,  privileged witness of mercy.

The  Motherhouse of the Misericordia Sisters  is the  gathering  place  where  we find the venerated mortal remains of  the  ‘ancestor’  of the Family, Rosalie Cadron-Jetté, whose cause of canonisation  has been  introduced in Rome.