Ministries
Mission of Love
As Sisters of Charity we, with the Church, view each individual as a dwelling place of the Spirit. As we go about our daily lives, we strive to put this awareness into action by the way we speak and act towards others. Wherever, whenever and however possible we seek to proclaim Christ’s message of love and hope to the people of God, especially the poor, the forgotten, the lonely, and the despairing. We recognize that within ourselves there is a struggle between body and soul and so we seek reintegration and healing for ourselves and others. We do this by our simple kindness, graciousness, and joy. We hope to say, by our charity, “You are good! You are loved! You are cared for and known by the Lord our God! You, my child, are worthy of the Kingdom of God!”
Matt 25:34
Works of Charity
As Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church we serve the people of God in a spirit of heartfelt simplicity. We were founded in the spirit of Saint Vincent de Paul to sanctify ourselves and others through the works of charity. We care for the poor and needy by spiritual and corporal works of mercy. We were originally founded by Bishop John Zwisjen specifically to educate, prepare, and form young women to impact the world. Bishop Zwisjen also wished that the Sisters cared for the elderly. We strive to carry out his mission today.
We are always mindful of adapting our various apostolates to the needs of the Church in the present day. Today, we commit ourselves to the following works of charity:
Care of the Elderly
Closely following in the footsteps of Christ and remaining faithful to our founder’s vision, we spend ourselves caring for the sick and elderly. In the Motherhouse we have our Perpetual Help Center, named after Our Lady of Perpetual Help. There we care for our elderly and sick Sisters. We consider it a privilege to serve our faithful Sisters who are now the spiritual backbone of our Congregation. There are Sister-nurses stationed here, in our “PHC” as we lovingly call it. As well as in our nursing home and in an assisted living facility, both in Wisconsin. One Sister says, “It’s like caring for Christ Himself.” Every Sister involved in the nursing apostolate strives to be Jesus’ hands and feet on earth; she heals the sick and says with her life, “You are good and precious in our Father’s eyes.”
Saint Elizabeth Home
109 South Atwood Avenue
Janesville, WI 53545
Phone: 608-752-6709
Prarie View Manor
111 Commercial Dr. P.O. Box 217
Footville, WI 53537
Phone: 608-876-4000
Holy Rule
Education
We have been engaged in the teaching apostolate since the very beginning of our Congregation. When we came to the United States in 1874 the first apostolate was the establishment of a grade school and a girls’ high school for the day and resident students in the small village of Baltic, Connecticut where the Motherhouse is located.
The philosophy of education we embrace is one that involves the recognition of youth as the future of the Church and the nation, students who deserve to be formed spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically in order to be effective witnesses of Christ to others. We regard the education of the whole child, spirit, mind and body, as a most worthy and necessary endeavor. We spend ourselves in the service of God’s little ones with the aim of preparing these students to be effective members of this world and the world to come.
Today, nearly 150 years since first coming to America, we continue to staff Catholic schools in Connecticut where we minister to the young in the elementary and high school grades. In this apostolate, we joyfully dedicate ourselves to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Academy of the Holy Family
The Academy of the Holy Family is a Catholic day and boarding high school for American and international young women. Through a challenging curriculum built on a supportive spiritual foundation, we empower our students to achieve their full God-given potential to impact their world.
Learn more about the Academy of the Holy Family.
Mother Marie Alma, Foundress
Feeding the Hungry
We are created in love and for love to serve others in this life. Our vision of faith recognizes the reality of the Mystical Body of which we are all members in Christ. In the spirit of Saint Vincent de Paul, Apostle of charity and our patron of the works of charity, we serve the needy among us with whom we are to journey in charity. In the poor whom we serve, we see and know the crucified, suffering Christ. We see in these members the need for food, clothing and shelter. We serve these poor in many ways.
Our food pantry aids hundreds of families a year by providing food and donations of clothing, and other necessities. In faith and charity, we continue to ask the Lord, through the intercession of St. Vincent de Paul, to bless these works of charity that directly impact the needy members of the Mystical Body of Christ in a way that shows the care and concern of the Master.
The Holy Family Food Pantry is located in the Motherhouse in Baltic, CT. We welcome monetary donations as well as nonperishable food items. Your generosity allows us to continue to help those who have fallen on hard times. Their poverty at any given time reminds us of the Poor Jesus to whom we belong completely.
Please contact the Motherhouse for assistance: 860-822-8241.
If you are a Connecticut resident (not of Sprague), and are in need of food assistance, please see the listings for the New London County’s Community Meal Sites and Emergency Food Pantries.
* We are open every other Monday and Friday 2-4pm
In order to comply with all guidance given in regard to the Coronavirus pandemic and physical distancing, we are open 4 hours each week to give time and space between families. When you arrive you may fill out an order form outside and we will prepare your requests and bring it out to you. Please call 860-822-8241 for assistance.
We ask that only 1 person/family in the driveway at a time. If you arrive for your appointment and you see that there is someone else in the driveway, please wait in your car until they have left.
Please keep your contact information current.
Please contact the Sisters at: 860-822-8241 if your telephone number has changed. Thank you for reaching out.
We are so blessed as to be able to assist you in any way that we can. Thank you for reaching out to our Sisters and allowing us to do so. Times can be challenging, especially right now. Know that you are not alone. We are here for you and we are praying for you. May you find peace and strength in these troubled times. God bless you!
St. Vincent de Paul
Hispanic Ministry
The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that the Hispanic/Latino presence, now 47 million strong, will surpass 132 million by 2030 and that presently 40% of all Catholics in the U.S. are Hispanic. This would seem to indicate that the very future of the Catholic Church in the United States depends upon effective ministry for and with Hispanic/Latino Catholics.
Our Congregation was founded serve the needs of the Church and respond to those needs in whatever possible way. Ministry for and with our Hispanic/Latino Brothers and Sisters is certainly one such need. The primary purpose of this Ministry is to nourish the faith of the people within the context of their cultural values and religious traditions. It also strives to promote effective integration into the mainstream of their parishes and society while respecting and valuing the cultural differences of each group.
Hispanic Apostolate Office
61 Club Road
Windham, CT 06280
Phone: 860-456-3349
Fax: 860-423-4157
Contact: Sister Mary Jude, Diocesan Director
E-mail: aposthispano@gmail.com
Holy Family Shelter
At our Holy Family Shelter we serve mothers and their children by providing temporary housing and necessities. Residents at the shelter stay an average of 60-90 days and are provided with meals, life skills workshops, case management, laundry facilities, an education program for children, assistance with permanent housing and employment searches, and referrals to other agencies as needed. The Home offers them a safe harbor while helping them to find solutions to alleviate their own situation in-so-far as these persons are willing and capable of living in harmony with others while respecting their mutual rights.
The Sisters and staff members do not seek to pass judgment on any person, but to serve in Christ-like manner families in need of the Shelter’s facilities. Together, we strive to be a source of joy, comfort, and practical help to the mothers and their children.
Holy Family Home and Shelter
88 Jackson Street, Willimantic
P.O. Box 884, Willimantic, CT 06226
Phone: 860-423-7719
Fax: 860-423-3770
E-mail: Information@HolyFamilyWillimantic.org
Like us on Facebook
and then