One thing necessary
Apostolate of Prayer
“Institutes of the contemplative life, by their prayers, sufferings, and works of penance have a very great importance in the conversion of souls, because it is God who sends workers into His harvest when He is asked to do so , and God who opens the minds of non-Christians to hear the Gospel, and God who fructifies the word of salvation in their hearts.”
— SSVM Monastic Rule,130
Any activity of the Church that is directed toward establishing the reign of Christ on earth is known as apostolate. This apostolate takes on many forms and faces across the world: teaching, preaching, works of mercy, offering sacrifices and prayers for the building up of the Mystical Body of Christ, giving a true Christian testimony in the workplace, etc.
The contemplative’s primary apostolate is prayer.
The Work of a True Spouse
It is the work of a true spouse to participate in the oblation of the Lord: “Do you hear the groans of the wounded on the battlefields in the west and the east? You are not a physician or a nurse and cannot bind up the wounds. You are enclosed in a cell and cannot get to them. Do you hear the anguish of the dying? You would like to be a priest and comfort them. Does the lament of the widows and orphans distress you? You would like to be an angel of mercy and help them. Look at the Crucified. If you are nuptially bound to him by the faithful observance of your holy vows, your being is precious blood. Bound to him, you are omnipresent as he is. You cannot help here or there like the physician, the nurse, the priest. You can be at all fronts… Your compassionate love takes you everywhere, this love from the divine heart. Its precious blood is poured everywhere –soothing, healing, saving.”
— St. Edith Stein, as cited in SSVM Monastic Rule, 132
“… asking pardon and mercy upon all”
A contemplative Servidora “will consecrate her prayer and sacrifice for the great issues and intentions of the Church, especially for those gifts that can only be obtained from God through prayer and penance and not through merit:
- For peace;
- For the Church, the Holy Father and his intentions, for bishops and priests, for consecrated souls, for vocations, for missionary works, for ecumenism, for the Jewish people, for the persecuted members of the Church, for the final perseverance of the Church’s members, for the souls in Purgatory, for our religious family;
- For the conversion of sinners, above all for consecrated souls and for those who persecute the Church;
- For our country and its leaders;
- For the promotion of human justice and other intentions that help establish the temporary order according to God’s law” (SSVM Monastic Rule, 134).
A particular intention
Sharing in the missionary charism of our Religious Family, each monastery also has a particular prayer intention toward which they focus their prayers and sacrifices. We currently have 23 monasteries around the world. Here is a listing of each monastery with its prayer intention. We invite you to send prayer requests by e-mail.
USA
Monastery St. Edith Stein (New York, USA)
Prayer intention: that all men and women may come to the knowledge of the One and True God.
Prayer requests: mon.edithstein@servidoras.org
Contemplative Novitiate St. Catherine of Siena (New York, USA)
Prayer intention: that all men may sincerely seek, love and be formed in the truth, and find its fullness in the Incarnate Word.
Prayer requests: nov.catherineofsiena@servidoras.org
Argentina
Monastery St. Teresa of the Andes (Mendoza, Argentina)
Prayer intention: for peace in the world.
Prayer requests: mon.teresadelosandes@servidoras.org
Contemplative Novitiate St. Mary Magdalene (Mendoza, Argentina)
Prayer intention: for the sick and suffering, that they may unite their suffering to Christ.
Brazil
Monastery St. Gianna Beretta Molla (São Paulo, Brazil)
Prayer intention: for the defense of human life.
Prayer requests: mon.giannaberettamolla@servidoras.org
Contemplative Novitiate St. Therese of the Child Jesus (Barragem, Brazil)
Prayer intention: For the missions and missionaries.
Prayer requests: nov.santateresinha@servidoras.org
Peru
Monastery St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (Arequipa, Peru)
Prayer intention: for religious life.
Prayer requests: mon.isabeldelatrinidad@servidoras.org
Netherlands
Monastery Ecce Homo (Valkenburg, Netherland)
Prayer intention: for the dignity of the human person and in reparation for the offenses committed against the Holy Eucharist.
Prayer requests: mon.eccehomo@servidoras.org
Belgium
Monastery Saint Lutgardis (Zottegem, Belgium)
Prayer intention: For the Sacred Hearts (of Jesus and Mary) to reign in society, especially through the apostolate and sanctification of the laity, and in particular for the members of the third order.
Prayer requests: mon.lutgarda@servidoras.org
Luxembourg
Monastery St. Hildegard of Bingen (Cents, Luxembourg)
Prayer intention: for the pastoral ministry of all bishops of the Church.
Prayer requests: mon.hildegardadebingen@servidoras.org
Spain
Monastery St. Juan de Ribera (Alcoy, Spain)
Prayer intention: for Catholic education at all levels.
Prayer requests: mon.juanderibera@servidoras.org
Monastery of the Patron Saints of Europe (Valencia, Spain)
Prayer intention: that Europe may discover it’s Christian roots.
Prayer requests: mon.santospatronosdeeuropa@servidoras.org
Monastery St. Juan Bautista de la Concepcion (Torrelaguna, Spain)
Prayer intention: for the fidelity of religious to their founding charism.
Italy
Monastery Blessed María Gabriella of Unity (Pontinia, Italy)
Prayer intention: for the unity of all Christians.
Prayer requests: mon.gabrielladellunita@servidoras.org
Monastery Our Lady of Graces (Valletri, Italy)
Prayer intention: for the sanctification of priests.
Prayer requests: mon.madonnadellegrazie@servidoras.org
Monastery Blessed Maria Vittoria de Fornari Strata (Genoa, Italy)
Prayer intention: for seminaries and seminarians.
Prayer requests: mon.vittoriadefornari@servidoras.org
Monastery Our Lady of Bonaria (Sardinia,Italy)
Prayer intention: to implore the mercy of God for the many forms of evil that weigh upon humanity.
Prayer requests: mon.nsbonaria@servidoras.org
Monastery St. Paul of the Poor Clares (Viterbo, Italy – contemplative formation house)
Prayer intention: for families.
Prayer requests: mon.sanpaolo@servidoras.org
Contemplative Novitiate St. Gemma Galgani (Viterbo, Italy)
Prayer intention: For all of the novitiates of our Religious Family.
Prayer requests: nov.gemmagalgani@servidoras.org
Albania
Monastery St. Joseph (Arrameras, Albania)
Prayer intention: for the Church and in reparation for sins against the Church.
Prayer requests: mon.sanjose@servidoras.org
Ukraine
Monastery Santa Sofía, Divine Wisdom (Burshtyn, Ukraine – this monastery is of the Catholic Eastern Rite)
Prayer intention: that Catholics may learn to “breathe with both lungs”.
Prayer requests: mon.santasofia@servidoras.org
Taiwan
Monastery Our Lady of Sheshan (Taiwan)
Prayer intention: For the Chinese people to know Our Lord Jesus Christ and his Blessed Mother the Virgin Mary and for all the lay faithful of Asia.
Prayer requests: mon.ourladyofsheshan@servidoras.org
Philippines
Monastery St. Joseph, Custodian of the Redeemer and Protector of the Virgins (Lipa, Philippines)
Prayer intention: that the Church be a witness, to the ends of the earth, of Christ, the Redeemer of man and center of the universe and of history.
Prayer requests: mon.sanjosecustodio@servidoras.org
For women interested in discerning the contemplative life within our Institute, there is the possibility of visiting our contemplative community, sharing in moments of prayer, work, and community life with the sisters. For more information contact:
Mother Pia Mater, SSVM
Director of Contemplative Vocations
E-mail: m.piamater@servidoras.org
Tel: (347) 446-5981
