What is a Religious Sister?
As religious sisters, we are privileged to live out, in a special way, a verse from the Song of Songs (6:3), “I am my Beloved’s and He is mine.” To consecrate something means to set it apart or devote it to a holy purpose. When a woman decides to accept Christ’s invitation to leave everything and follow Him in a radical way, she makes vows to live like Jesus in poverty, chastity, and obedience. She promises Christ that she will live the rest of her life dedicated exclusively to Him. These vows help her to live simply, to be more open with God., and to depend totally on Him. The vocation of a religious sister reminds us that God loves us exclusively and totally.
Sustaining Sisterhood
When a sister enters the novitiate house, she embraces a vow of humility, leaving behind earthly desires to dedicate her life to serving the Lord and His Church. This journey includes a commitment of active evangelization around the community and of education, as many sisters aspire to earn a degree in education to teach in local schools, upholding the dignity and morals of Catholic teachings inside classrooms. However, their mission relies solely on the generosity of public donations, as they receive no external support. With your help, these sisters can focus on their vows and their sacred calling as beloved children of Mary, our Mother.
Who We Are
Founded in Baghdad, Iraq in 1922 by Monsignor Anton Zebouni and Fr. Philip Shoreez, the Chaldean Sisters, Daughters of Mary Immaculate is an apostolic congregation of patriarchal right rooted in our Chaldean Church. In striving for holiness, we profess vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in imitation of our Bridegroom. We are called to be the light to others by imitating Mary in our prayers and our daily life; becoming a sign for an ongoing conversion to God.
What We Do
What brings our community into being is the sisterly communion that is lived out and the love of Jesus that gathers together and sends out. Our congregation participates in the mission of the Church by serving the community through the following:
- Catechesis, evangelization, pastoral work, and church activities in collaboration with the priests
- Works of Mercy, such as hospitality, running orphanages (in Iraq), and we own and operate senior living
Our mission is supported by our prayers where the one nourishes and the other makes it fertile. Our participation in the mission of the Church signifies our participation with Jesus in His mission, which He received from His Heavenly Father.
Our Spirituality
Our spirituality proceeds from the spirituality of our Patroness, the Immaculate Virgin, who loved Jesus profoundly. In her “yes”, she shares with Jesus in His mission and offers Him to the world as the light and salvation. She is our special guide where we can learn to become disciples of Jesus, “by hearing the word of God” (Lk 11:28) and doing what He commands us to do. Our life is based on the balance between the “listening” of Mary and the “work” of Martha.