Simple Gifts
…a space where charism, grace, and life meet.
Who Are We
Each religious congregation is blessed by a unique gift of the Holy Spirit called a “Charism.” It is an expression of the way the congregation is called to follow Christ. It distinguishes a religious community and gives it a particular character.
The charism of the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary is not directed primarily to community life or to ministry. Instead, the charism has to do with who we are and how we live with our loving God. As a Servant of the Holy Heart of Mary embodies faith, self-giving and family love in her life, the SSCM charism is shared with her sisters in community and with the people for whom and with whom she serves.
A Servant of the Holy Heart of Mary is one who lives in faith, family spirit, and self-giving; one who acts as a servant of the Lord with trust in Divine Providence and with a spirit of fidelity; one who shares in the Gospel option of preference for the poor; one who lives in the spirit of joy and perseverance.
We are Women in Mission.
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by Sr. Myra Lambert, sscm Father Francois Delaplace, the founder of the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary, was born into a family that was torn by death and by a special needs child. Father Francois’s father died when he was only 10. In France, as in any country, losing a father, husband, provider…
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by Susan Amann What is self-giving? What is total gift of self? And what does it mean in relationship to Holy Week? At the Catholic Telegraph website, in a June 2022 article: “Gift, self-gift and the Meaning of Life” Dr. Andrew Sodergren writes: “Existing for another is what “self-gift” means. We make a gift of…
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by Frank Modica How well did this special season of Lent 2024 start off for you? Was it a challenge because Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday fell on the same day, February 14th? I hope you were able to honor both of these special events. Traditionally Lent has been a time of sacrifice and penance.…
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What does it mean to have an undaunted faith? I turned to the dictionary. Undaunted is an adjective that describes, in this case, faith. The definition given in the dictionary is: “not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty, danger, or disappointment.”
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What is Lent? Lent is the forty-day penitential season of the Church from Ash Wednesday until Easter with an emphasis on prayer, almsgiving, and fasting (CCC definition). Some might say it is forty days of giving up caffeine or sugar or a favorite food, or it is a time when I must eat fish on…
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Serena Williams, the tennis star, is featured in a commercial for a vehicle that offers “hands free driving”. The ad has Serena remembering how her father taught her to float by gently holding his hands under her and then letting her go. Just so, Serena is to let go of the steering wheel and drive…
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My name is Frank Modica. My wife, Pam Donze-Deley, and I have been lay affiliates with the Mercy Community of the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary (SSCM), in Urbana, Illinois, for the past eight years. I also serve our Province on the Retreat Planning Committee, and Pam recently joined the Charism Committee.
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Today, the first Sunday after Christmas, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This feast began to be observed in Canada in the late 19th century, and quickly spread to the universal Church when Pope Benedict XV formally instituted the feast in 1921.
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by Sr. Myra Lambert, sscm As I reflected on the topic of Advent Faith, my heart remembered a poem by Jessica Powers (Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit, OCD) entitled Advent: I live my Advent in the womb of Mary.And on one night when a great star swings free from its high mooring and walks down…
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This is the season our minds and hearts turn to gifts. We’re only days from Christmas – our celebration of the Gift that was given – and received – with great love. With this Gift in mind, let’s reflect on gift, itself, for a moment.
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