In addition to numerous missions, Manila also has a formation house for young women who wish to join our congregation.
For over eight years, young Korean and Chinese Sisters have been a part of the community living in the Mary Ward Study House in Manila, together with sisters from Australia, Vietnam, USA, Tanzania, and visitors from India, Kenya, England, Canada, Spain, and Hungary.
The study house welcomes young sisters who are studying theology and family counselling.
Of the two older sisters, one lectures at local theological colleges and workshops and is also involved in thesis supervision. The other is a great organiser and cares for the many aspects of daily life.
The second house in Manila is the formation house. Over the last six years, young women from Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, and recently Timor-Leste, have lived together in the formation house and attended courses with other young people on the journey to religious life.
The formees get input on spirituality, psycho-spiritual development and theological and scriptural support while working at home with their formators on the charisms of Mary Ward and Ignatius.
A third house is in another sector of Manila. Here, the diocese has helped many religious sisters establish ‘mission stations’, living in twos amid impoverished areas and assisting people in coordinating the improvement of living conditions. Two CJ sisters have begun this mission.
The three communities come together for important occasions.
We are an international multicultural congregation of around 1,800 sisters present in more than 40 countries around the globe. Founded in 1609 by the Venerable Mary Ward, we are a group of unenclosed apostolic religious women, rooted in the Ignatian Spirituality.
We are working in different areas and projects – not out of ourselves, but because we allow ourselves to be sent by God. We form our sisters to be mobile and available, willing to go wherever they are sent. We expect them to strive, like Mary Ward, to have that inner freedom to respond to the call to leave all and follow Christ with passion and compassion.
“Vocation” – a word that tastes of MORE, of what Saint Ignatius of Loyola called “THE MAGIS”: Longing, meaning, fullness of life, a task and the experience of being needed. It sounds like someone who is calling me personally and with whom I can give my life a unique shape.
People all over the world are inspired and enthusiastic about Mary Ward and her way of following Jesus. There are different ways to join our network and become part of the wider Mary Ward Family.
Mary Ward once said: “I listened to God’s deep dream for me and felt a longing to respond.”
In this spirit, we invite you to pray with us. We offer a variety of prayers and material for reflection.
