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

Today I would like to share the witness of Sister M. Rosa Toccolini from our Italian Region. In her life as a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother, she believe and experiences “the Franciscan Spirituality…present in the aspects of simplicity and fraternal sharing that [she tries] to carry out in [her] relationships, both with the sisters and with other people that God allows [her] to meet.”  As she became acquainted with the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, she “was touched by their simple and spontaneous sharing of God’s gifts during meals, prayer, meetings, daily work in the community and with the laity and also by the mutual listening among each other, without creating distinctions between roles or life conditions.” In 2009, when she was a member of the community and still is, of course, she believes “that it is essential to continue this simple lifestyle [as it] doesn’t place obstacles in the way of meeting other people. It teaches us how to welcome and make other people feel loved in the name of Jesus Christ, as Francis did with his friars and all the people.”

Wow! Imagine striving to live in such a way so as not to  “place obstacles in the way of meeting other people”—that was St. Francis of Assisi. Picture yourself interacting with persons who do not have to flaunt their role in life or the “superior” conditions in their life as being above yours—that is St. Francis of Assisi.  Envision living in such a way that one-up-man-ship, competing to outdo the other, relating from the mindset of being better than, more educated than, wealthier than, more important than the other—that was St. Francis of Assisi.   St. Francis of Assisi lived the Gospel in such a way that he did empower those  he encountered.  Once anyone met St. Francis of Assisi, they knew that they were in the presence of a God-fearing, holy man, a lover of Christ, a child of the Most High and that they, in turn, were also special in God’s eyes. Without any of the pride-driven shenanigans of the ego that reveal a person’s insecurities, low self-esteem and vulnerabilities, St. Francis of Assisi was truly transformed into an alter Christus, another Christ. There was no greater follower of Jesus than St. Francis of Assisi.

If St. Francis touches your heart, as he touched the heart of Sister M. Rosa Toccolini and you feel called to become a Franciscan Sister of the Sorrowful Mother, don’t hesitate to fill out the self-quiz on this website.

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

Today’s message on the spiritual practices and the Franciscan spirituality of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother is acclaimed by two of our newest members, Sister M. Nair Alves da Silva from Brazil and Sister Laura Maria Caddeo from Italy.

                Franciscan Spirituality, Sister M. Nair believes,   is a very important aspect of my life.

The simplicity of it and God’s love communicated by St. Francis attracted many.

Prayer and contemplation are important points for me to follow the Triune God

as a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother.

Sister Laura Maria states that she

… entered the SSM Congregation because I knew the Franciscan community

both in my town of origin and in Assisi.  At the beginning, I was struck by the

spontaneity or relationships, so friendly and simple, without formalities, and

the atmosphere of a “big family” where everyone could find a place and feel

at home…After sometime, I also discovered the centrality of God’s Word and

the Eucharist, as well as a continued fervent commitment to evangelization.

the Franciscan charism helped me and strengthened my sense of obedience

to my story and my sense of belonging to the Church.

Both Sisters highlight the reasons why continuing my commitment as a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother delights me. It is all about centering my life on the Word of God and the Eucharist, sharing my faith with others through evangelization, and developing a deeply personal relationship with the Lord through contemplation and prayer and striving to create a place where everyone feels at home. As one of the commercials advertising furniture proclaims: “It doesn’t get any better than this” for those called to the Franciscan way of living the Gospel.

TheSpiritual Practices and the Franciscan Spirituality of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother

 Our newest members were asked how the spiritual practices and the Franciscan Spirituality has affected their lives as a new member of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother. Here is the answer given by  Sister Gillian Marie Jerome, who made first vows in March 2009 and now serves as Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of St. Georges in Grenada, West Indies:

Many different parts of our Franciscan heritage inspire me, but the one that speaks to me the most, is the simple Prayer of St. Francis… “Lord, make me an instrument….”  In the past I simply mouthed those words; now I pray the prayer more consciously. I realize that in that prayer lies the fullness of the ‘Kingdom of God’ to which I am called to contribute to make a present realty.  Hence, to the measure that I am at peace is the same measure that I give to the world….A Franciscan way of living, therefore, calls me into right relationship with God, self, creation and others, and I cannot think of a better way to do this, than to be in right relationship with myself. It is a challenge, yet it is possible.  My prayer is that as a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother I will continue to strive to live simply and consciously, with a deeper love and respect for others, so that my example may speak for itself.