Repairing Sisters in one of the residences of the Work of the Virgin of El Escorial (Click on the picture to expand it).
The branch of Repairing Sisters is formed by «unmarried or widowed women, dedicated especially to the attention of the poor and needy. They are consecrated with private votes; they live in community...» (Art. 17º, Constitutions), they
always try to fulfil these rules, approved by
the ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and the Regulation
of Internal Regime. «They have as main aim their own sanctification by means of the service to the poor and needy, seeing Christ the Redeemer in them, living the evangelical counsels and giving a repairing sense to their lives» (art. 18º, Constitutions).
The habit they dress is sign of their
consecration, as the Constitutions say, as well
as any consecrated sister of any religious
community. Its current situation in the
Catholic Church was given by the Cardinal
Archbishop of Madrid, D. Angel Suquía, who
established the Public Association of the
Faithful Repairers in its three branches or
sections; that is to say, the same as any
another ecclesiastic work that has an initial
canonical approval, followed by anothers ,
depending on the development of the institution.
From here a Company of Apostolic Life or
Religious Institute or similar will arise.
The Repairing Sisters develop their vocation by
means of the service to the poor and needy in
the residences that the
Foundation «Virgin of
Sorrows» has opened in different provinces of
Spain.
Drawing room of one of the residences. (Click on the picture to expand it).
A Repairing Sister serving the meal. (Click on the picture to expand it).
Repairing sisters with old people in the garden of one of the residences of the Work of the Virgin of El Escorial. (Click on the picture to expand it).
This specific vocation of the Repairing Sisters
joins contemplation and action. Their
consecration to God through private votes (poverty,
chastity and obedience), their love to God, a
life of community, prayer and reception of the
sacraments, is the base that encourages them to
serve willingly and generously the poor and
needy, particularly the older ones, to try to
fulfil the evangelical commandment teaching us that
every time we give anybody something to eat or
drink or we dress the naked or we do good to our
neighbor, we do it to the Lord ( Mt 25, 34-
40): «For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was
thirsty, and gave me drink. I was a stranger and
you welcomed me into your house. I was naked,
and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited
me. I was in prison and you came to see me
(...). Truly, I say to you: whenever you did
to these little ones who are my brothers, you
did it to me» (Mt 25, 35-36. 40).
The Repairing Sisters consider the words the
founder told them in relation to their call to
attend the needy the inspiration of their lives:
«Young girls, who have devoted yourselves to
the poor and needy; you should see Christ in
them and repeat with Him: "We have not come
to be served, but to serve". .
Your love will be true, if it is supported
in Christ. Be kind to them, for kindness
will lead you to sanctity.
Your hearts must be happy to brighten up the
sad ones. We should think it is not them
who must be thankful for our services; it is
we who must be thankful because they let us
take care of them. We should never think
they are ungrateful. Let us say: "The poor
are so great because they give us the
opportunity to serve them!" .
Let us fill each action with all our love.
Our mission is to love the needy without
expecting them to love us. We should think
they are like children, my old children. We
have to learn so much of them! They need
love; they need to recover the dignity that
has been taken away from them. We should
not only think in the dish of food, but in
the love they need.
Do you want to achieve merits? : be kind
and affectionate with all those who suffer.
Who suffer? They, my poor old children, they
suffer from the wounds of time nobody can
heal.
Young girls, who have left everything for
the others: keep your charity and your joy
to make them happy.
This has to be your business: the business
of the love, that is the greatest and the
most Christian one». 31-XII-1990.
The delicate way the
Repairing Sisters treat the old is supported in
the love to God through the neighbour.
Serving the meal.(Click on the picture to expand it).
Feeding an old woman.(Click on the picture to expand it).
Repairing Sister doing the manicure to an old woman. (Click on the picture to expand it).
Taking care of an old woman. (Click on the picture to expand it).
Caring for a sick old in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of one of the residences. (Click on the picture to expand it).
Attending an old person. (Click on the picture to expand it).
By virtue of this
vocation and mission, the Repairing Sisters help
the needy in all their personal dimensions with
careful attention. They give them the necessary
aids for their spiritual and corporal care, they
listen to them with patience, console them in
their pains and sorrows, bright them up, etc.,
they practice charity with them and they help
them to keep the joy of living.
To contact the Work of the Virgin of El Escorial, send an email to info@pradonuevo.es.
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