The Spiritual Practices and the Franciscan Spirituality of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother

In today’s reflections on the spiritual practices and the Franciscan spirituality of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, I present to you the answer given by Sister Daniela Maria Alborghetti, again of our Italian region, when she was asked how, as a new member of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, she’s been affected by this rich heritage. Her answer is as follows: 

                I have been attracted by the person of Francis since childhood; his ability to rejoice

                at everything, the joy of seeing God in the most humble of creatures; being trustful

                in his heart like a child who expects everything from his parents and knows that all

                his needs will be satisfied.  All these aspects of the Franciscan Spirituality have

                accompanied me as a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother.  In the last few years, Francis’

                unceasing reference to the Mercy of God supported me very much.  God does not

                disdain any of us and it is through our poverty that His grace and power shine.  My

                continuous experience of God’s Mercy helps my heart to be more merciful to our

                sisters and those close to me.  All of this makes me think of Mary, and, in a particular

                way, of standing under the cross.  In her moment of utter poverty and untold

                suffering she became a mother in the fullness of motherhood, welcoming in her

                heart all the sons and daughters who were entrusted to her by her dying Son. 

What a witness to our charism as Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother. We are called to be merciful, first of all, to ourselves and then to others. Why firstly to ourselves? Because, unless each of us shows mercy to him/herself, we are unable to show mercy to others.   As followers of Francis, we are also made mothers in the fullness of motherhood that Jesus asks of His mother. We, too, are called to be “mothers” to one another and to all those God puts into our lives, not in the sense of treating others as children and we as parents but in the sense of providing all that is needed for the other and ourselves to grow into one’s best self: nurturance, understanding, love, forgiveness, encouragement, challenge, invitations to develop one’s potential and collaboration in reaching out to the poor and oppressed of this world and the support to bear our own crosses and to stand with others under their crosses, as Mary stood beneath the cross of her Son.