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Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver
Summit
IL
60501
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Who we are
The spirituality of the Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver, inherited from their Foundress, Blessed Mary Theresa Ledochowska, is rooted in Ignatian spirituality; from there it branches into a uniquely Claverian way of following Christ.
At the heart of Claverian spirituality is Christ the Redeemer, icon of the Father’s love. He is the center and the reason for everything the Sisters are called to do and to be. Blessed Mary Theresa asks them to keep their gaze fixed on Jesus the Redeemer so as to deepen their awareness of His immense love.
Christ shed his blood on the cross for all humanity, therefore the place of the sisters is, as Blessed Mary Theresa indicates, with Mary at the foot of the Cross, where in faith they watch as the blood of their Saviour flow (Conf. 1910). The Sisters are to do all in their power to apply it to souls. This scene harmonizes perfectly with the words of St. Therese of Lisieux:
"Looking at the picture of Our Lord on the Cross, I was struck by the blood flowing… I was resolved to remain in the spirit at the foot of the Cross and to receive the divine dew… I was then to pour it out upon souls… "(Story of a Soul)
Looking in faith at Jesus on the Cross and listening to His cry “I thirst” ( Jn 19:28 ) the sisters are urged to cooperate with Him in the salvation of souls, as expressed in the motto of the Congregation: The most divine of divine things is to cooperate in the salvation of souls.
At the heart of Claverian spirituality is Christ the Redeemer, icon of the Father’s love. He is the center and the reason for everything the Sisters are called to do and to be. Blessed Mary Theresa asks them to keep their gaze fixed on Jesus the Redeemer so as to deepen their awareness of His immense love.
Christ shed his blood on the cross for all humanity, therefore the place of the sisters is, as Blessed Mary Theresa indicates, with Mary at the foot of the Cross, where in faith they watch as the blood of their Saviour flow (Conf. 1910). The Sisters are to do all in their power to apply it to souls. This scene harmonizes perfectly with the words of St. Therese of Lisieux:
"Looking at the picture of Our Lord on the Cross, I was struck by the blood flowing… I was resolved to remain in the spirit at the foot of the Cross and to receive the divine dew… I was then to pour it out upon souls… "(Story of a Soul)
Looking in faith at Jesus on the Cross and listening to His cry “I thirst” ( Jn 19:28 ) the sisters are urged to cooperate with Him in the salvation of souls, as expressed in the motto of the Congregation: The most divine of divine things is to cooperate in the salvation of souls.
Location of worship / Church Address
5634 South 72nd Court
Summit,
IL
60501
United States
Phone: 708-594-7822
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Quote of the Day
1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
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Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver
Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver churches in Summit, Illinois, United States
Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver churches in Illinois, United States
Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver churches in United States
All churches in Summit, IL
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Service Times last updated on the 5th of November, 2023
Mental Prayer
Liturgy of the Hours
Holy Mass
Eucharistic Adoration
Spiritual Reading
Rosary
Examination of Conscience
Work
Free-Time
Meal
Recreation
Service Times last updated on the 5th of November, 2023
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Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver History
Blessed Mary Theresa Ledóchowska
A Heart for the Missions
The eldest of seven children, Mary Theresa Ledochowska was born in Austria on April 29, 1863, to a Polish noble, Count Anthony, and his wife, Josephine. From her parents Maria Theresa inherited not only their noble blood, but also a heart sensitive for the needy.
Even though she grew up in a very religious family, Mary Theresa did not hear much about the missions in her youth.
In 1885 Mary Theresa became a lady-in-waiting to the Grand Duchess Alice of Tuscany. In the midst of the glamour of court life, she was exposed for the first time to the needs of the missionary world.
Two Franciscan Missionaries of Mary came to Salzburg to seek financial help for their missionary work. The lady-in-waiting listened raptly as the two women religious shared their experiences of working with the lepers in Madagascar.
“I don’t know of anything more beautiful than to cooperate with God in the salvation of souls.”~Bl. Mary Theresa Ledochowska
This spark of interest in missions was fueled to a full flame when Mary Theresa read a pamphlet on Cardinal Lavigerie’s anti-slavery campaign. The prelate of Africa called for the women of Europe to support his crusade against slavery. His call bore fruit in Mary Theresa, who would one day say, “I myself would not be here before you today, and I would
probably still be a lady-in-waiting at a court in Austria, if by chance I had not seen a pamphlet by Cardinal Lavigerie, which gave me the incentive to devote myself to the missions.”
As Mary Theresa's involvement with the missions grew, she began a mission page in a Catholic periodical. These mission features, called Echo From Africa, were based on correspondence from African missionaries. The page of letters evolved into a monthly magazine, which made its debut in 1889, even though the nineteenth century was not ready for a woman publisher.
“It is a grace to understand the essence of the missionary ideal and to work for it.” ~Bl. Mary Theresa Ledochowska
The magazine soon became a full-time job, and Emperor Franz Joseph personally released Mary Theresa from her court duties in 1891 so that she could devote all of her time and energy to the missions. Soon the work of promoting and supporting the needs of missionaries in Africa could no longer be considered one’s woman effort.
Mary Theresa, led by the Holy Spirit, enlisted “auxiliary missionaries” and placed her work under the patronage of the Spanish Jesuit missionary, St. Peter Claver, whose life ministry earned him the title of Apostle to the Slaves.
Mary Theresa’s vision took shape gradually, emerging in wonderful form. First on April 29, 1894, Pope Leo XVIII formally blessed Mary Theresa’s enterprise, deeming the St. Peter Claver Sodality a pious association, which gradually developed into a religious community. On September 8, 1897, Mary Theresa and her first companion professed their final vows as Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver.
For the next twenty-five years, the Foundress roamed Europe, enlisting people of all walks of life to help her congregation’s support for evangelization in Africa. Realizing that the missionaries were in urgent need of books in local languages, she expanded her work, producing everything from Bibles and hymnals to dictionaries in local languages.
Pope St. Pius X gave his final approval to the constitutions in 1910. The lady-in-waiting’s dream blossomed into an international mission aid network. Her reward came when the recipients of her generous support offered gratitude for the assistance, calling Mary Theresa “Mother of the Africans.”
The grueling schedule of appearances and editing took its toll on Mary Theresa. Despite suffering from tuberculosis, she worked to the very end, passing away on July 6, 1922. The thousands of missionaries she had supported through prayers, encouragement and material help felt as though they had lost a mother.
Mary Theresa Ledochowska was beatified by Pope Paul VI, on October 19, 1975, Mission Sunday. The Holy Father cited her selfless, creative response to Jesus’ command to “go and teach all nations.”
In advance of Vatican II, Mary Theresa proclaimed that every Christian is a missionary by means of Baptism. She left her spiritual daughters with the responsibility of informing all Catholics of their duty to bring the Good News of God’s love to the whole world.
“God must reign everywhere and His Gospel must be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.”
A Heart for the Missions
The eldest of seven children, Mary Theresa Ledochowska was born in Austria on April 29, 1863, to a Polish noble, Count Anthony, and his wife, Josephine. From her parents Maria Theresa inherited not only their noble blood, but also a heart sensitive for the needy.
Even though she grew up in a very religious family, Mary Theresa did not hear much about the missions in her youth.
In 1885 Mary Theresa became a lady-in-waiting to the Grand Duchess Alice of Tuscany. In the midst of the glamour of court life, she was exposed for the first time to the needs of the missionary world.
Two Franciscan Missionaries of Mary came to Salzburg to seek financial help for their missionary work. The lady-in-waiting listened raptly as the two women religious shared their experiences of working with the lepers in Madagascar.
“I don’t know of anything more beautiful than to cooperate with God in the salvation of souls.”~Bl. Mary Theresa Ledochowska
This spark of interest in missions was fueled to a full flame when Mary Theresa read a pamphlet on Cardinal Lavigerie’s anti-slavery campaign. The prelate of Africa called for the women of Europe to support his crusade against slavery. His call bore fruit in Mary Theresa, who would one day say, “I myself would not be here before you today, and I would
probably still be a lady-in-waiting at a court in Austria, if by chance I had not seen a pamphlet by Cardinal Lavigerie, which gave me the incentive to devote myself to the missions.”
As Mary Theresa's involvement with the missions grew, she began a mission page in a Catholic periodical. These mission features, called Echo From Africa, were based on correspondence from African missionaries. The page of letters evolved into a monthly magazine, which made its debut in 1889, even though the nineteenth century was not ready for a woman publisher.
“It is a grace to understand the essence of the missionary ideal and to work for it.” ~Bl. Mary Theresa Ledochowska
The magazine soon became a full-time job, and Emperor Franz Joseph personally released Mary Theresa from her court duties in 1891 so that she could devote all of her time and energy to the missions. Soon the work of promoting and supporting the needs of missionaries in Africa could no longer be considered one’s woman effort.
Mary Theresa, led by the Holy Spirit, enlisted “auxiliary missionaries” and placed her work under the patronage of the Spanish Jesuit missionary, St. Peter Claver, whose life ministry earned him the title of Apostle to the Slaves.
Mary Theresa’s vision took shape gradually, emerging in wonderful form. First on April 29, 1894, Pope Leo XVIII formally blessed Mary Theresa’s enterprise, deeming the St. Peter Claver Sodality a pious association, which gradually developed into a religious community. On September 8, 1897, Mary Theresa and her first companion professed their final vows as Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver.
For the next twenty-five years, the Foundress roamed Europe, enlisting people of all walks of life to help her congregation’s support for evangelization in Africa. Realizing that the missionaries were in urgent need of books in local languages, she expanded her work, producing everything from Bibles and hymnals to dictionaries in local languages.
Pope St. Pius X gave his final approval to the constitutions in 1910. The lady-in-waiting’s dream blossomed into an international mission aid network. Her reward came when the recipients of her generous support offered gratitude for the assistance, calling Mary Theresa “Mother of the Africans.”
The grueling schedule of appearances and editing took its toll on Mary Theresa. Despite suffering from tuberculosis, she worked to the very end, passing away on July 6, 1922. The thousands of missionaries she had supported through prayers, encouragement and material help felt as though they had lost a mother.
Mary Theresa Ledochowska was beatified by Pope Paul VI, on October 19, 1975, Mission Sunday. The Holy Father cited her selfless, creative response to Jesus’ command to “go and teach all nations.”
In advance of Vatican II, Mary Theresa proclaimed that every Christian is a missionary by means of Baptism. She left her spiritual daughters with the responsibility of informing all Catholics of their duty to bring the Good News of God’s love to the whole world.
“God must reign everywhere and His Gospel must be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.”
Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver Historical Photos
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