Nord America

Brief history of the Province

Our Province comprises three nations: Canada, the United States and Mexico, where two languages ​​are spoken: English and Spanish. We are blessed to be able to serve many people, despite the small number of Sisters.

We are 26 (twenty-six) Sisters of Perpetual Vows and 2 of Temporary Profession, distributed in 5 (five) communities: one in Canada, in Vancouver; two in California, USA: San Francisco and Sacramento; one in New Mexico, in Albuquerque; and one in Chihuahua, Mexico.

One Sister is in Italy for a service in the General Curia and another is looking after her elderly mother.

Although we are one Province, we come from nine different countries and cultures. For this reason, the first challenge is to move from multiculturalism to interculturality. The other challenge is the age of the Sisters: 65% are over 65 and 35% are under 50. We are blessed with 1 Postulant.

We also feel challenged by the world of youth with its need of increasing Youth Ministry and vocation promotion.

In recent years, the face of the Province has changed. The number of sick and elderly Sisters has increased; so, after long and painful discernment, we decided to close the Spirituality Centre in Albuquerque and transformed it into a Nursing Home for the elderly Sisters.

We carry out Evangelization and Pastoral Outreach programs in the parishes through preparation for the Sacraments for adolescents and adults, including RCIA, Youth Ministry, parish retreats, spiritual direction, assistance to the elderly and the sick. We currently serve in 8 parishes: one in Canada, five in California, one in Albuquerque and one in Chihuahua.

With generosity and commitment, we support three Corporate Ministries:

– Casa Angelica, in Albuquerque, is authorized to offer complete residential care and education to 16 children and young adults with grave disabilities. It is the only house of its kind in the State of New Mexico, USA.

– Instituto Educativo Morelos is located in Chihuahua, Mexico. It is a primary school with about 220 children, from low-middle income families, who want their children to learn human and Christian values, so necessary in today’s violent world.

– EDYFICA (Canossian Integral Education and Formation) is located on the outskirts of the city of Chihuahua, Mexico. Through this project, we comprehensively form and promote women, children and young people in situations of economic disadvantage through a variety of programs. We always try to harmonize our response to local needs.

There are many lay people who help us in our Ministries. They collaborate with us and we collaborate with them. Without the lay people, we could not carry out our work, especially the Corporate Ministries.

The Lay Canossians, for whom we form in each community, are a great gift to us. They are very active in sharing the Charism with those they meet in their life, family, work and social environment and are very visible in the parishes where we serve.

In addition, the former students of Hong Kong, living in Canada, occasionally help us financially.

Also, some former pupils of the Morelos Educational Institute (Mexico) are being formed in our Charism and in the future,  we hope that they will be able to help us in our Ministries.

Our current challenges are:

– Transparency, not allowing ourselves to be manipulated, neither internally nor externally, and keeping our hearts free from the consumer society.

– Communion among us: “one mind, one heart, one will”. If we are not united, we cannot be significant in today’s world.

– Working Intentionally on interculturality within the communities and the Province. Also, through the CCPAM, for the initial and ongoing formation in the Americas.

– Develop the Ministry of Vocation Promotion, especially in Mexico, where young people are still sensitive to religious life and where we can glimpse a possible future.

We place all our lives and our works in the hands of the Lord, through Mary, Mother of Charity at the foot of the cross, and Saint Magdalene, our Foundress.