Charism

“Each sister has the capacity to do something special for God. We help them develop those capacities, but we never hide our faults. We know we are all broken people healing other broken people through God’s love.” — Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gintling, founder

As Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary, we are called to be active-contemplatives. We witness to God’s goodness and His provident care, living a vowed life of chastity, poverty, and obedience.

Our spirit of joy and simplicity, the living expression of our charism, grows out of a deep faith and confidence in God our Father to Whom, in union with His Son Jesus Christ, we are able to abandon ourselves completely.

Community living, daily Mass, morning and evening prayer, Eucharistic adoration, service and hospitality to all, especially the poor, are hallmarks of our life.

We embrace the spirituality of Charles de Foucauld: loving Jesus in the Eucharist and in the poor, living the simplicity of Nazareth, and “littleness.”

The primary field of our mission is within the ministries of the Joseph House, established by our founder, Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gintling.

We have also received as our heritage the contemplative and apostolic spirit of Brother Charles, which comes to us through the living tradition of our community and of other communities inspired by his life. We are sent, as he was, to help people believe in Christ Jesus who reveals the goodness of the Father.

In the same spirit which animated Brother Charles, we seek out the poor and oppressed, help them recognize their human dignity, and give them hope and courage in their struggles.

We honor Mary as Mother of the Church and as patroness of our congregation. Through her life, Mary made visible in a perfect way the glad tidings of the Gospel and participated in the redemptive mission of her Son.

We rely on St. Joseph, head of the Holy Family, to be our provider and protector. As the carpenter of Nazareth, he shows us that holiness is found in our ordinary work.