Dear Friend,

Usually, when we think of God, we think God has everything He needs. After all, He IS God! But it wasn’t always that way. There was a time when God longed for the one thing He didn’t have, but which every human being has. So, God decided He would create exactly what He always wanted . . . and needed. God created a mother for Himself.

You know the story. God sent Gabriel to Nazareth to ask the young Mary if she would be willing to be His mother. I suppose she could have said no, but being God, He knew what her answer would be. That’s why He chose her. For God, everything in Mary was always “Yes.” Never “No.” So she became the Mother of God.

Of course, for Mary to really be the Mother of God, He needed to become a child. So in the Divine Plan, God stepped out of eternity into time and became Jesus, the Son of Mary.

We’ve heard this story all our lives, and sometimes we take for granted the awesome truth that God became human through Mary of Nazareth. Imagine! After all those eons, God finally found the someone of His dreams – the one person who would give Him a body and who would take Him at His Word.

That’s the Christmas story. It’s our story. It’s the story of the way God created the perfect mother, then gave her to each one of us, to love us, care for us, and hold us close to her heart. And that’s what she does. She’s always there for us, to bring us to the heart of her Son.

We Sisters of Charity are dedicated to Mary in a special way and we strive to imitate her motherly ways in our ministries. But we don’t do that alone. We couldn’t. You are right there with us. By your faithful generosity, you help us to be mother to all those we serve in our ministries.

Dear Friend, will you continue to assist us? As you prepare your heart this Christmas to receive that best of gifts, Jesus, Mary’s Son, I ask you to please consider making a gift to the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church. Your offering of whatever your means allows, will help us continue our motherly care of so many in our ministries.

Because of YOU, our Sister-teachers nurture the minds and hearts of our students. Our Sister-nurses tend with loving care the elderly in our healthcare facilities. The Sisters who serve the poor and the marginalized in our Food Pantry, Homeless Shelter and parish ministry bring them hope. Our retired and infirm Sisters, our young Sisters, our Sisters active in ministry count on you to help us hold with motherly love and care all those we serve.

It is no small task to be a mother! Perhaps you know that better than I. And so we need your help to continue our motherly care in all our ministries.

You are a treasured gift to the Sisters of Charity. Is there someone you treasure? If so, we have the gift for you, an extraordinarily beautiful and unique Blessed Mother Wall Cross featuring images from the outstanding 1900 painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau titled Regina Angelorum.

May it be a reminder of the gift God gave Himself at Christmas and now gives to each of us – a mother! Our Blessed Mother knows you by name and she loves you deeply, just as you are, right at this moment. May you come to know in an ever deeper way the tender love of your Mother.

You, too, are in our motherly care, and so we offer you the gift of our prayers. Send us your prayer requests and we will pray for them as we joyfully celebrate the birth of Our Savior at the Holy Masses offered in our Motherhouse Chapel during the Christmas Octave, December 25 to January 1.

Through your generosity, you share in a most profound way in the lives and ministries of the Sisters of Charity. Together we keep hope alive in the hearts of so many. Thank you! We always think of you with love.

The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church want you to remember and fix in your heart that Mary, the Immaculate Mother of Jesus, is your mother now – and for all eternity. We pray that by remembering this wonderfully unspeakable truth, every day will be Christmas for you. We wish you a Blessed Christmas! Please pray for us. We pray for you!

Gratefully, in Mary, Mother of the Church, Mother Marie Julie, SCMC Superior General

P.S. The Regina Angelorum Blessed Mother Wall Cross can be found on the Sisters of Charity Gift Shop at www.sistersofcharity.com/giftshop. May it bring many graces and blessings. The Sisters want to pray for you and your loved ones this Christmas Day and throughout this Holy Season. Your needs will be lovingly remembered during our Christmas Octave of Masses from December 25, 2021 to January 1, 2022..