Community

"The Lord has called us to be leaven here and now, with the challenges we face."

Pope Francis, Feb. 2, 2017, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Our community was born in campus ministry and officially founded in the Philippines in 1991. We devote ourselves to the evangelization and formation of youth and their families. We especially encourage the young to love human life and dignity by embracing a life of purity and goodness.

We take Mary as our mother, guide and inspiration in all things. Every LIHM Sister strives to acquire the same dispositions that the Blessed Mother exemplified in her life, imitating her spirit of generous service, humility, docility, love for sacrifice, obedience, and her creative and charitable silence, so as to be continuously united with God and ever aware of His indwelling presence in her soul.

The Eucharist is the irreplaceable center of every LIHM community, our source of unity and only treasure. It is in Jesus that we find nourishment and true fulfillment.

The charism of the community is victimhood. Every LIHM Sister humbly and joyfully accepts this gift, becoming a little victim-soul who, in union with the Pierced Heart of Christ on the cross, offers her sufferings and sacrifices to become a leaven of Christ's work of salvation in the Church. The LIHM receives her strength from her union with Christ the Suffering Servant.

In response to the ardent plea of Our Lady of Fatima for prayer and penance, the LIHM embraces a life of deep prayer and penance, uniting all her daily actions, sufferings and sacrifices to that of Jesus' passion and death on the cross. In imitation of Mary and in union with her fiat, the LIHM places herself at the loving service of God and neighbor, striving to be always attuned and obedient to the divine will. With a generous and open heart, the LIHM shares in the sufferings of others, transforming these sufferings into love.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. . . (Colossians 1:24)

The daily life of the LIHM consists in living together in a way that allows for a healthy, calm and balanced growth of the community and its members. The horarium gives importance to the holistic development of the Sisters in their human, spiritual and apostolic needs, helping them to live their consecrated life to the full. The following schedule varies slightly according to each convent (formation, mission, or study):

                              4:00 AM Rising
                                           *Matins is prayed individually
                              4:30 Lauds
                              5:30 Preparation for Mass
                              6:00 Holy Mass
                              7:00 Chores
                              8:00 Breakfast
                              9:00 Apostolate - mission assignment or studies/formation
                             12:00 PM Angelus, Lunch
                             1:00 Apostolate - mission assignment or studies/formation
                             4:00 Recreation
                             5:00 Daytime Adoration
                                                *Daytime Prayer - one of the Daytime Hours is prayed individually during the day
                           6:00     Vespers
                             7:00 Dinner
                             8:00 Personal Time / Study
                             9:00 Curfew, Grand Silence
                                *Night Prayer is prayed individually before going to sleep
Nocturnal Adoration begins - each Sister makes a Holy Hour during the night