A Congregation of Sisters Founded to Assist Priests and Pray for Them
Founded in 1974 with the taking of the habit by its first religious sister, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X has as its purpose to assist the apostolate of the priests of the Society of Saint Pius X. Its founders, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and Mother Marie-Gabriel Lefebvre, his own sister, both came from the missionary Congregation of the Holy Ghost.
As the crisis of Faith spread its ravages among souls after the Second Vatican Council, Archbishop Lefebvre, guided by Providence, founded the Priestly Society and then the Congregation of the Sisters, entrusting its first steps to Mother Marie-Gabriel.
It is at the foot of the altar that the Sisters exercise their primary apostolate, through daily participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, from which they draw their spirit of total self-giving, and through an hour of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, interceding for priests and the hierarchy of the Church. Following Our Lady of Compassion, their principal patroness, they offer themselves in union with the Divine Victim for the salvation of souls, especially priestly souls.
A Spirituality Centered on the Holy Mass
Their spirituality, centered on the Holy Mass, is also nourished by the Hours of Prime, Sext and Compline (Lauds, Sext, Vespers and Compline on Sundays and feast days), mental prayer, spiritual reading, and the Rosary. The beautification of places and ceremonies of worship is a natural consequence: the study of Gregorian chant and floral art, as well as the making of altar linens and liturgical vestments, are among their various activities.
As religious, they consecrate themselves to God through the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience after two and a half years of formation in one of the four novitiates. They are then assigned to one of the 30 communities that currently make up the Congregation. There they find the support of community life, which is a powerful help in difficulties as well as in joys.
Apostolate, an Overflowing of the Interior Life
Their external apostolate is the overflowing of their interior life of union with Our Lord. It supports and complements that of the priests of the Society of Saint Pius X in priories, missions, schools, retreat houses, homes for the elderly, and seminaries.
The Sisters willingly devote themselves both to practical tasks and to teaching in schools (general subjects in primary classes and home economics at secondary level), catechism classes (in schools or parishes), camps and youth groups, visits to the elderly or sick, sewing and needlework, directing parish choirs, etc., according to the works undertaken. The Motherhouse is home to the Our Lady of Fatima Correspondence Catechism program, as well as the French secretariat of the Eucharistic Crusade.
Statistics
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X has 244 members (including 226 professed Sisters of 20 different nationalities), spread across 11 countries: France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, the United States of America, Argentina, Gabon, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Australia.
Percentage of professed Sisters by country of origin
The novitiates, where the Sisters receive their religious formation, are located in France, Germany, the United States, and Argentina.
For more information, please contact
Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X
Abbaye Saint-Michel
7 allée du Château
F-36290 SAINT-MICHEL-EN-BRENNE
Tel. +33 2 54 38 00 18
Our Lady of Compassion Novitiate
3 route de Belâbre
F-36300 RUFFEC-LE-CHÂTEAU
Tel. +33 2 54 37 83 49
