Ministries
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Building strong and vibrant parishes dedicated to making Christ known and loved.The Canonesses (Sisters) in Jesus the Lord are dedicated to evangelizing through the parish, through sacred music and liturgy, catechesis, including Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) and campus ministry, and pro-life work of all kinds, including Rachel's Vineyard retreats for healing after abortion. All our activities are devoted to building strong and vibrant parishes dedicated to making Christ known and loved by devising ways, together with the faithful, of living out faith's essential work of proclaiming the Good News to all.
those women called to a life devoted to contemplation as their main work, will help the work of evangelization through their life of prayer and penance. By also keeping a prayerful presence of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the parish church they will teach without words the essential importance of the Blessed Sacrament.As our community grows, so will its ministries.
Current Ministries
Liturgy and Music: In Russia, we are working with our brother community to develop melodies to complement the text of the Divine Office in Russian, we lead and sing in the parish choir and often play the organ, flute, and cantor at Masses for the parish.
Pro-life Work: The members of Canonesses (Sisters) in Jesus the Lord are unequivocally pro-life, embracing the Church's teaching against contraception and promoting the dignity of all human life from natural conception to natural death. We pray every day for the closing of local abortion clinics. We pray monthly outside the nearest abortion clinic. We work with various pro-life groups, including Rachel's Vineyard retreats for post-abortion healing, and encourage laypeople to participate in the political process to change legislation that supports the culture of death. We are also aware of the prevelance of euthinasia in our country. We frequently give talks at parishes on end of life issues.
Catechesis and Evangelization: The sisters assist with catechetical and religious life vocational programs for children, teens, and adults. In Russia, the sisters head up a youth group; work with young children using the Montessori Method; plan and lead monthly catechetical days for the children at a satellite parish and two yearly conferences for youth and young adults; visit, assist, often play the harp and sing songs for the residents at the home for the elderly poor, and hold parish weekend retreats for adults. We meet with groups of students at the nearby University so as to introduce them to the Faith and build a strong foundation for the Church.Ministry to the Sick and Homebound: We, along with other parishioners, regularly bring the Eucharist to members of our parish who cannot come to the Sunday Mass.
"The future is yours, but the future
is above all a call and a challenge
to 'keep' your life by giving it up,
by 'losing' it--as the Gospel has reminded
us--by sharing it through loving
service of others."
Pope John Paul II,
The Meaning of Vocation
"In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!' "Luke 1:39-42