About The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother
Who We Are
The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother both serve and empower others by sharing God's love. We are advocates, supporters, and companions to those in need—the sick, the poor, the vulnerable and those in crisis.
Inspired by St. Francis, St. Clare and our Foundress, Mother Frances Streitel, we live simply, give generously, and have a deep respect and loving concern for all of creation. Through prayer and work, we bring fuller life to others.
Thanks to the kindness and self-sacrifice of Mother Frances, who founded our Congregation in Rome in 1883, and the numerous Sisters who have followed in her footsteps, many people have had the opportunity to have a better life, and to live in accordance with the Word of God. We are an international community with Sisters in the U.S., Germany, Austria, Italy, Brazil, Tanzania and the Caribbean islands of Grenada, St. Lucia and Trinidad/Tobago.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother participate in the mission of Jesus to bring fuller life to others by revealing the love of God for all, especially the poor.
We are:
- A community of women religious who desire to live the Gospel
- Professed followers of St. Francis and St. Clare
- Ordinary women who do extraordinary things
- A multicultural community enriched by great diversity
We seek:
- To care for those in need, especially the poor
- To reflect and be contemplative
- To pray for the needs of others
- To bring about fuller life for others through our ministry
- To invite others to join us in our mission
Through collaborative efforts, we help bring fuller life to others through:
- Through education and health care for all ages
- Through feeding the hungry
- Through family education of parents and children
- Through spiritual assistance and pastoral care
- Through prayer groups and retreats
- Through ecology and care of the earth
- Through promoting just and peaceful structures
We share with others:
- Our vision and our mission
- Our values and our way of life
- Our human and material resources
- Our services and our prayer
- Our hopes and hospitality
- Our challenges and our struggles
- Our faith and our joy
We can be found:
- In the East, Midwest and Southwest United States
- In the Caribbean – Trinidad, Grenada, St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic
- In Europe: Italy, Germany and Austria
- In Africa – Tanzania
- In South America – Brazil
The SSM Charism:
Through a dedicated life of apostolic service, vitalized by a contemplative spirit, we care for those in need, especially the poor, and in our own poverty, seek the Lord above all. Watch the SSM Charism Video on YouTube HERE.
Meaning of the Congregational Logo
Circle drawing/spiral: Breath of God’s Spirit (Ruah) surrounding everything in its action of Creating and Redeeming, as an inexhaustible source of new life.
Crucifix and Tau: The suffering world, redeemed by Christ and healed by the life-giving grace of the Spirit of the Risen Christ.
Standing Near the Cross, “humble discipleship” Mary, Mother of God and the Church, deeply involved in the plan of salvation.
SSM Worldwide:
Learn more about the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother and
our 125+-year tradition of bringing fuller life to others on our Web sites:
International SSM (Generalate): www.ssmgen.org
St. Francis of Assisi Delegation: www.ssmcaribbean.org
Region Germany/Austria
Germany: www.kloster-abenberg.de
Austria: www.ssm-austria.at
Region San Francesco d'Assisi
Italy: www.ssmitalia.it
Tanzania: www.ssmtanzania.org
Delegation Madre Francisca Streitel (Brazil): www.ssmbrasil.org.br