Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver

Written By Teresa Rayner

There are not many Sisters in religious habits anymore, particularly in New Zealand. But growing up, I always remember the little Sisters dressed in grey at my grandparents parish in Island Bay, Wellington.

They would run fairs that I'd go to, and my siblings and I would enjoy the leftover toys from the lucky dip my Nonna made for them. They'd hold concerts where I played the flute alongside my Nonno on the piano accordion. And they'd always come up to my mum after Mass and say hello.

I knew them by their works. But when it came to visiting and staying with the Sisters of St. Peter Claver, I didn’t really know what to expect!

Most Orders I’ve visited so far began with an involvement in nursing, teaching, or advancing social justice. The St. Peter Claver Sisters contribute to all those fields - but not in the way you might expect.

What moved foundress Blessed Mary Theresa Ledòchowska to action was a pamphlet she was handed in 1887, written by Cardinal Lavigerie who was working to abolish slavery in Africa. He wrote;

“Christian women of Europe! If God has given you the talent to write, then use it to serve this cause. You could find none more holy!”

Mary Theresa at Tuscan Court

Mary Theresa was a highly respected, well educated lady-in-waiting in Tuscany, but felt a desire growing in her to do something great for the Lord. She loved to write and I was shocked by just how mature & well presented her writing was - even at a young age. For example, at age twelve she wrote;

“No! The oppressors of the church will perish and she will rise gloriously! What we do not receive in our earthly life, we shall find yonder, in Heaven, if we endure bravely until death.”
(Two Open Hands Ready to Give Ch.1)

After she heard the stories of two Franciscan Missionary Sisters, and read the Cardinal’s call to action, Mary Theresa was deeply moved and knew clearly that she was to use her gift of writing for the glory of God.

She started small, with a play about a African slaves, and a column in a paper based on her own correspondence with missionaries. This soon evolved into a magazine - ‘Echo from Africa’ - which is still published to this day. She left the Tuscan court to entirely dedicate herself to this correspondence & work, even though her friends and family thought she was making a big mistake. Her goal was to draw attention to the suffering of African slaves, bring an end to human trafficking, and ultimately encourage others to participate in ‘the salvation of souls’ through prayer, sacrifice and donations. She knew not everyone was called to be missionaries in foreign lands, but everyone had a part to play in spreading the Gospel. Eventually she realised she could not do this work alone, and the Missionary Sisters were formed, taking St. Peter Claver - patron of slaves and all African missions - as their namesake.

At her beatification ceremony in 1975, Pope John Paul VI described how Mary Theresa Ledòchowska was ‘ahead of her times’ in the way she empowered and encouraged the whole church to get involved in the mission of Christ. As many Orders today are adapting their original works such as teaching or nursing to meet the needs of our time, the St. Peter Claver Sisters’ apostolate continues to be relevant and vital to the church today. Though they no longer focus solely on slavery in Africa, the Missionary Sisters continue to raise awareness for the needs of those less fortunate - including those still trapped in various forms of slavery. They aim to move people to action, take us back to our missionary roots, and remind us that we all have a part to play in spreading the good news of the love of Christ which sets us free!

Here in New Zealand the Sisters achieve this by raising money through garage sales, fairs, concerts and raffles, as well as the distribution of ‘Echo from Africa.’ Sr. Annie, who arrived here recently from America, and has been based in many different countries before now told me how in Minnesota (US) the sisters also hold a plant sale and auction, in England & Scotland they have garden parties, and in Brazil they celebrate Festa Junina, sell doughnuts, and have bingo and pizza nights.

I know the Sisters by their works to raise funds for overseas missions - but Blessed Mary Theresa knew that no missionary activity can be successful without help from the Spirit. She made sure the daily life of her congregation was always centered on prayer and loving God first and foremost. During my stay I was able to experience this rhythm of prayer (see Order Outline at top of page for more info). Sr Annie described their chapel as ‘the heart of the house.’

The chapel of the St. Peter Claver Sisters in Island Bay, Wellington

Blessed Mary Theresa Ledòchowska reminds us that there is no task to small in the eye’s of Christ, and if we offer our gifts and talents for His service, there’s no telling what God can and will achieve through us! Mary Theresa never dreamt of starting her own Religious Order when she put pen to paper to write about missionaries. She never planned on getting up to speak in front of crowds, or of using her aristocratic background to gain prestige and backing for her work. She simply heard a call to do more, and responded in her own little way. And the continued presence of her Sisters in our midst reminds us that we can and should do the same.

Further resources:

Teresa Rayner
Next

Little Sisters of the poor