A vocation to the Charism to all
Founded in 1865 Paris, France by Fr. Stephen Pernet, a.a. and Antoinette Fage (Mother Mary of Jesus), the Little Sisters were founded to be present among the poor, the workers and their families. “Take society at its roots, the Family, and transform it in the spirit of Christ.” (Fr. Pernet)
Bonds with the laity were created and strengthened from the early foundation years. The real genius of this involvement was Fr. Pernet’s desire to build capacity and leadership among men and women who lived in poverty, and to build relationships between people from classes of French Society which were segmented at that time. These bonds gave rise to four specific groups: the Lady Servants, the Fraternities, the Decurions, and ‘the Daughters of Monica’
These persons and their families – evangelized, grouped together and committed – were the response of Stephen Pernet and of the Little Sisters to the realities of their time.’ Today these groups are more commonly known as volunteers, staff, board members, friends, family, mentors, advisors, collaborators or benefactors and are linked to our Corporate Ministries (Family Health and Social Service Agencies) in the states where we serve.
The development of our community based Family Health & Social Service Agencies in the 60’s was an embodiment of “partnership, of Family in Mission.” People from different life experiences, walks of life, social classes joined together to embody the mission which is core to our lives as Little Sisters.
The agencies, initially owned, directed and staffed mainly by Little Sisters, have grown in their capacity to provide greatly needed programs and services in response to the needs of families in the community. Today these centers are directed and staffed by the laity and a few Little Sisters who either work or serve on the Board of Directors to assure a continuity of mission.
Since Vatican II there has been a movement in the U.S. religious orders to invite non-vowed persons into formal relationship with their congregations. Their forms vary but their primary motivation for joining is faith community, mission and ministry, spiritual development, prayer and support.
In 1973 a young woman asked to live in one of our communities for one year so she could work with the poor and share our life and mission. She wanted the support of people who were already involved on the grassroots level. Her primary motivation was to live with the sisters, share mission and ministry, spiritual development, prayer and support in a faith community. It was a mutually enriching and challenging experience. As these requests gradually became more numerous, we decided to begin a formal volunteer ‘live-in’ program with guidelines, policies and procedures. Women and men (20 years old to retirement years) were invited to commit for a 6 month to 2-year term to serve in one of our agencies. Some stayed longer.
This volunteer program was a conscious and tangible response to the call of the laity desiring to share in the mission of the Church among those in greatest need. In a natural way, it became an opportunity for the Little Sisters to share their vocation as lived in community and among the people. The communities that welcomed the laity into their homes rearranged their surroundings so that the volunteers had a space within the house to call their own. Each community decided upon their schedule of prayer, reflection, meals, chores, etc, just like any other family.
“The work life at the agency was supported by living with LSA sisters and volunteers and helped to integrate the experience as well as help deepen my experience of living a faith-inspired life.”
A Spiritual Covenant
In 2004 the laity requested a greater animation and leadership role of sharing the charism – planning assemblies, local leadership, setting future direction together. A spiritual covenant was adopted:
Building on our experience of creating Family, we are connected by a desire to transform our world beginning in our local communities.
* We commit to learning from and joining with the global movement for social justice.
* We are one with all creation.
*We partner with and celebrate the diversity of all those who journey with us.
United by a Family Spirit
“The richness is in our striving together to live solidarity and hope in the midst of distressing times. The difficulties are connected to our country’s problematic migration views and policies which affect our friends and families. The human experiences of working together can bring the greatest joy and the greatest pain… Our dependence on our unconditional loving God helps us through.”
“I am thankful every day that I was able to have this experience and the growth and understanding it provided to me. The work became so meaningful, and the relationships formed, lasting. Being able to help the most vulnerable families was truly a privilege, and doing it with the love and care that is part of the LSA Charism is a blessing.”
“We live it in our daily lives, not only in our work as we try to continue connecting laity and the mission through prayer, retreat, parties, meetings, but it becomes a part of who you are and is nurtured daily in our connections to each other. We are truly a family. We care for each other on a daily basis, we share the joys in life and sharing it together makes life so much better. I think the difficult part of it is the distance between us which makes it harder to get together in person, but technology allows us to see each other.”
This ‘Family in Mission’ embodies the following principles which form the 6 Core Elements of our Family Spirit as researched by our International Laity Commission in 2005: Commitment with / among people who are poor; Hope; Live what we believe; Care for one another; Mutuality in Relationships: Personal Transformation and transformation of the world.
LSA Family in Mission
LSA Family in Mission was established in 2010 to promote the Spirituality and Charism into the future and to create links with our existing Family Health & Social Service Agencies. It is a partnership between laity and sisters. There is a Lay Core Team of 5 who meet monthly for the sharing of information and planning.
Mission Expansion
Expansion of ‘new’ ministries has been initiated and carried out by the lay members of Family in Mission who live the Charism as expressed by their Spiritual Covenant and Core Values:
– LAZOS strives to support CESOLES, a LSA Family Center in Cali, Colombia.
– two Mexican immigrant women founded The Resource Center for Adult Education (CREA),
– Two thrift stores have been opened as cooperatives in East Harlem with the LSA mission as their guide: Arco Iris and Anne Mary’s Place, the latter named after a Little Sister.
– Outreach to Mexico has begun by a woman in our East Harlem Agency who, after having attended a laity gathering at our Mother House in Paris, is determined to share the LSA charism in her home village in Mexico.
The Future
“With families, we are called to open ourselves to a genuine dialogue and in the encounter, allow ourselves to be changed and go beyond our influences and prejudices. Then, from this outward hospitality, an even broader interior hospitality is born: the recognition of the work of God in each other. Let us warmly welcome this spirit of mutuality as a gift of God so as to deepen our common journey.” (LSA general Chapter 2017)
We are presently 11 Little Sisters in the U.S. Territory with an enormous mission and missionary spirit.
In conclusion, some of the lay members share their thoughts:
“There is a desire among many of those in the LSA family to stay connected as community even years after employment; it gives a sense of belonging to those who have ever been involved with the LSA and continue to live the same values.”
“Collaboration is more than the way of the future – it is indeed creating the future, by creating new relationships, rituals and traditions.”
“Our joys, richness, difficulties, sufferings come from being an extended family together… sharing food, prayer, laughter, joy, our home when safety is needed and so much more.”
“THIS, is what living the mission of the LSA means to me: I strive to shine a light on those around me.”
“My sense of the future is that no matter what form it takes, we will continue to walk the LSA “way”. I hope that there will always be a “base” from which we can all be nourished. What that will look like, I don’t know. I think it may be decentralized and more “nodal”, like the matrix that connects us even now. I trust that God’s Spirit will continue to inspire, instruct and guide us… for sharing Love will always find a way.”
“Mary’s Assumption gives us the certainty that a new world is being prepared; she sustains our hope and gives us the courage to dedicate ourselves with our brothers and sisters in work for the transformation of humanity. (R.L. 12)
