Get to know the religious communities that serve in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
The Religious Orders of the Archdiocese of St. Louis are communities of men or women who have taken religious vows and committed themselves to a specific way of life in accordance with the teachings and traditions of the Catholic faith.
-
Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is a society of apostolic life of pontifical right whose goal is the honor of God and the sanctification of priests in…
The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is a society of apostolic life of pontifical right whose goal is the honor of God and the sanctification of priests in the service of the Church and souls. Its specific aim is missionary: to spread the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ in all spheres of human life. Our work is carried out under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception, to whom The Institute is consecrated.
-
Jesuit Fathers and Brothers (Society of Jesus)
The Society of Jesus is an order of Roman Catholic priests and brothers founded nearly 500 years ago by St. Ignatius Loyola. With more than 15,000 priests, scholastics and brothers worldwide,…
The Society of Jesus is an order of Roman Catholic priests and brothers founded nearly 500 years ago by St. Ignatius Loyola. With more than 15,000 priests, scholastics and brothers worldwide, it is the largest male religious order in the Catholic Church.
The Jesuits USA Central and Southern (UCS) Province is one administrative body within the international Society of Jesus. The UCS Province is comprised of approximately 325 men serving in 13 states, Puerto Rico and Belize. It is based in St. Louis where more than 130 Jesuits reside.
-
Lovers of the Holy Cross of St. Louis
-
Marianists (Society of Mary)
The Society of Mary (Marianists), an international Catholic religious order of brothers and priests, was founded in 1817 in France by Blessed William Joseph Chaminade. The Society of Mary, together…
The Society of Mary (Marianists), an international Catholic religious order of brothers and priests, was founded in 1817 in France by Blessed William Joseph Chaminade. The Society of Mary, together with a religious order of women, the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and numerous affiliated lay groups, form the Marianist family.
In 1898, the Marianists opened their first school in the St. Louis Archdiocese.
-
Missionaries of Charity
We commit ourselves to the proclamation of the reign of God through a ministry for justice wherever the need presents itself at the time.
We commit ourselves to the proclamation of the reign of God through a ministry for justice wherever the need presents itself at the time.
-
Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette
Our Community: The missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette are deeply rooted in the apparition of Our Lady of La Salette which occurred near the hamlet of La Salette in…
Our Community: The missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette are deeply rooted in the apparition of Our Lady of La Salette which occurred near the hamlet of La Salette in southeastern France on Sept. 19, 1846. The missionaries were founded in 1852 by Bp. Philbert de Bruillard, bishop of Grenoble, France, and presently serve in some 25 countries.
Our Province: The Province of Mary, Mother of the Americas, was founded in 2000ad and is one of several provinces in the congregation. The members of this province serve mainly in the countries of Canada, the United States and the region of Argentina/Bolivia.
Our Mission: Our La Salette ministry of reconciliation responds to the broad vision given by Mary at La Salette as well as in response to the needs of The Church. as reconcilers, we together with the laity take seriously Mary’s mandate: “You will make (Mary’s) message known to all (her) people.”
-
Missionaries of the Holy Family
Offering the Perpetual Mass Association since 1933, the Missionaries of the Holy Family (MSF) is a worldwide, Roman Catholic, men’s congregation of over 900 priests and brothers with a special…
Offering the Perpetual Mass Association since 1933, the Missionaries of the Holy Family (MSF) is a worldwide, Roman Catholic, men’s congregation of over 900 priests and brothers with a special focus on emphasizing the Holy Family as the standard of holiness for all families.
The worldwide leadership for the Missionaries of the Holy Family is the generalate, and it is located in Rome. There are 15 provinces and numerous missions. The Missionaries of the Holy Family serve in 22 countries.
They have served St. Wenceslaus Parish in St. Louis since 1960.
-
Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver
The most divine of divine things is to cooperate in the salvation of souls. The spirituality of the Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver, inherited from their Foundress, Blessed Mary…
The most divine of divine things is to cooperate in the salvation of souls.
The spirituality of the Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver, inherited from their Foundress, Blessed Mary Theresa Ledochowska, is rooted in Ignatian spirituality; from there it branches into a uniquely Claverian way of following Christ.
-
Montfort Missionaries
-
Passionist Nuns (The Congregation of the Nuns of the Passion of Jesus Christ)
The foundation of Passionist Nuns in the Archdiocese of St. Louis dates to February 1948. As cloistered contemplatives dedicated to the Passion of Jesus Christ, the nuns lead lives of…
The foundation of Passionist Nuns in the Archdiocese of St. Louis dates to February 1948. As cloistered contemplatives dedicated to the Passion of Jesus Christ, the nuns lead lives of prayer, silence and sacrifice centered on the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, intercession for the Church and all mankind, and the preparation of altar breads for numerous parishes.
-
Poor Clare Nuns (Order of St. Clare)
In 1212, foundress St. Clare left her home in Italy to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. She was clothed in a poor habit as a sign…
In 1212, foundress St. Clare left her home in Italy to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. She was clothed in a poor habit as a sign of her consecration to God. Several others joined her at the Church of San Damiano, just outside of Assisi, and began what was called the Poor Ladies. After St. Clare’s death in 1253, the community became known as the Poor Clares or Nuns of the Order of St. Clare.
The Poor Clare Nuns’ mission is to live the Gospel in total poverty, through a life of prayer and penance. They do so through daily prayer, readings, communing with God and silent meditation. Living in community is another critical aspect of the sisters’ charism. They share responsibilities for the upkeep of the monastery. The order in St. Louis have a specialty of making altar breads for use in the Holy Mass. They have had a presence in the Archdiocese of St. Louis since 1959.
All are invited to pray in the Monastery of Saint Clare of the Immaculate Conception Chapel during the day.
All are welcome to attend the annual Novena, held in August, ending with the August 11 Feast Day of St. Clare of Assisi.
200 Marycrest Drive, St. Louis, MO 63129
-
Priests of the Heart of Jesus
-
Racine Dominicans (Congregation of St. Catherine of Siena)
-
Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers (Denver Prov.)
St. Alphonsus Liguori, moral theologian and doctor of the church, founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) in Naples, Italy in 1732 as a religious congregation of the…
St. Alphonsus Liguori, moral theologian and doctor of the church, founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) in Naples, Italy in 1732 as a religious congregation of the Catholic Church. The congregation was formally approved in 1749 by Pope Benedict XIV. The original mission as set forth by St. Alphonsus was to strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ by preaching the gospel to the poor and the most abandoned, particularly to those who live on the margins of church and society.
All Redemptorists use the initials “C.Ss.R.” after their last names. These four letters are an abbreviation for cCongregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris, the latin for “Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.”
-
Redemptoristine Nuns (Order of the Most Holy Redeemer)
-
Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan
The Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma formed in 1973 “in response to the renewal called for in the Second Vatican Council,” RSMs serve as doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators…
The Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma formed in 1973 “in response to the renewal called for in the Second Vatican Council,” RSMs serve as doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators in the medical field, and also teach in seminaries and schools. A Religious Sister of Mercy is called to professional excellence while living in a religious community as the Bride of Christ.
The community has 10 convents in the United States, three in Europe: Rome, England and Germany — and another in Sydney, Australia. They came to St. Louis at the invitation of Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, formerly the bishop in their diocese of Saginaw, Michigan.
Visit Website
-
Resurrectionists (Congregation of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ)
Charism: We desire to be faithful to the grace received by our founder, a grace we now share by our call to the Congregation of the Resurrection. We recognize certain…
Charism: We desire to be faithful to the grace received by our founder, a grace we now share by our call to the Congregation of the Resurrection. We recognize certain truths to be especially important for our life and work as Resurrectionists because they give expression to the grace and call.
We believe that God’s love for us is merciful and unfailing. We have not earned his love. we are nothing, have nothing, and can do nothing without God. We are attracted to evil. We are sinners. Yet god continues to draw us to himself.
We believe that in his love the Father calls us to conversion: to personal resurrection in union with Jesus, to a new life filled with the power of his spirit. With Jesus we die to ourselves when we surrender our lives to the Father, renouncing anything that separates us from him. The power of the Spirit forms Christ in us, and moves us to respond with love to the Father’s great lover for us.
We believe that God calls us to live together as brothers, sharing the gifts that we have received, supporting one another, praying and working together for His glory. He has called us to be a community which is a living sign of the gospel values of justice, truth, and love.
We believe that God calls us to work together for the resurrection of society, bringing His live and love to all: through our personal witness, through the witness of our life in community, and through our community apostolates, primarily through parish work and teaching. This also requires that we build, and teach others to build, a christian community in which wall can experience the hope, joy, and peace of Christ’s resurrection.
We believe that Mary is our model for all that we are called to be and do as Resurrectionists.
-
Rural Parish Workers of Christ the King
The Rural Parish Workers of Christ the King are located in Fertile, MO (just south of Potosi), which has been in existence since 1942. This agency is supported by the Annual…
The Rural Parish Workers of Christ the King are located in Fertile, MO (just south of Potosi), which has been in existence since 1942. This agency is supported by the Annual Catholic Appeal and helps provide food, clothing, utilities and spiritual needs to the people in the surrounding area.
-
Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate
The Institute of the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (SMMI), the religious missionary branch, was born from the Society of the Daughters of Saint Francis de Sales, founded in Paris…
The Institute of the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (SMMI), the religious missionary branch, was born from the Society of the Daughters of Saint Francis de Sales, founded in Paris in 1872 by Father Henry Chaumont, a diocesan priest, and Madame Carré de Malberg, a housewife and mother. They founded this society for lay women to “live the Gospel” and spread its spirit in the world. From this lay society, in 1885, our founder founded a missionary branch, the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate.
-
School Sisters of Notre Dame
Founded in 1833 by Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger in Bavaria, the School Sisters of Notre Dame have more than 2,500 sisters in more than 34 countries. They came to the United…
Founded in 1833 by Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger in Bavaria, the School Sisters of Notre Dame have more than 2,500 sisters in more than 34 countries. They came to the United States in 1847 and to St. Louis not long after, educating generations of children in the St. Louis area. Their teaching ministry continues today with schools throughout the United States, including Notre Dame High School in St. Louis. Notre Dame sisters teach at all levels of education — elementary, secondary and post-secondary. The sisters also host regular events at their campus, which is home to Notre Dame High School, the motherhouse with its exquisitely rehabbed St. Theresa Center Chapel, and the offices for the Central Pacific Province — among five in the U.S.
-
Servants of the Paraclete
The Servants of the Paraclete is an international religious community founded by Rev. Gerald Fitzgerald S.P. in 1947 with a specific ministry to serve fellow priests and brothers who are…
The Servants of the Paraclete is an international religious community founded by Rev. Gerald Fitzgerald S.P. in 1947 with a specific ministry to serve fellow priests and brothers who are facing particular challenges in their vocations and lives. We are located near St. Louis, Missouri, and continue to offer the St. Michael renewal program, a carefully integrated program for growth and healing, and Vianney Center, a residential faith community for priests and brothers who wish to live their vocation at its core of prayer and fraternity.
-
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary are a community of Catholic women called to live the mission of Jesus through core values of: Freedom, Charity, Education, and…
The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary are a community of Catholic women called to live the mission of Jesus through core values of: Freedom, Charity, Education, and Justice.
-
Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (Houston)
The Archdiocese of Sr. Louis has been the home of initial formation for the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston, Texas since September of 1990. …
The Archdiocese of Sr. Louis has been the home of initial formation for the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston, Texas since September of 1990.
The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word was founded in Galveston, Texas, in 1866 by Bishop Claude Marie Dubuis, second bishop of Texas. At that time the diocese encompassed the whole state of Texas with its See in Galveston. (Today there are 15 dioceses in Texas!) The first three sisters came from Lyons, France to establish the Congregation. In 1926, the Motherhouse moved to the newly built Villa de Matel Convent in Houston where it still is today. The Sisters serve in ministries of education, health care, social concerns, and spirituality in five countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Ireland, Kenya, and the United States of America.
-
Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio)
A visible sign of God’s love often is evidenced in the promotion of human dignity. And that’s exactly what the Sisters of Charity of Incarnate Word embrace as their charism.…
A visible sign of God’s love often is evidenced in the promotion of human dignity. And that’s exactly what the Sisters of Charity of Incarnate Word embrace as their charism.
That’s the same charism that sisters are helping to live out at Incarnate Word Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school, located in the north St. Louis County suburb of Bel-Nor. The sisters’ community founded the school here in 1932.
-
Sisters of Divine Providence
The Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence was founded in 1851 by the Most Reverend William Emmanuel Baron von Ketteler, Bishop of Mainz, Germany, and pioneer of social justice,…
The Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence was founded in 1851 by the Most Reverend William Emmanuel Baron von Ketteler, Bishop of Mainz, Germany, and pioneer of social justice, and Marie de la Roche, a French noble woman whom he instructed and baptized in the Catholic faith. The first foundation of the Sisters of Divine Providence was in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1930 the community began a new province in the Midwest, establishing the St. Louis Province on August 1, 1930, the anniversary of the death of its foundress, Marie de la Roche. The temporary headquarters of the new province was located at St. Elizabeth hospital in Granite City, Illinois and Mother Rosalia Weaver was installed as its first Provincial Superior.