Italy - Sœurs Auxiliatrices

Sisters with Diverse Commitments

The Sisters arrived in Italy in 1880 and are now present in nine different cities (five separate communities and three Helpers living alone). From the moment they settled in Italy, the Helpers began an intense and effective apostolic activity both outside and inside their houses, which were open to all. As in other countries, they cared for the sick poor through home visits while also engaging in the evangelisation of children and adults.

In the 1960s, following the insights of the Second Vatican Council, the Sisters decided to become involved in small communities, in parishes, and in the working-class areas of large cities, by taking part in social activities.
Today, the Helpers live in apartments, earn a living from their work, and are always at the service of a wide variety of people: young people, migrants, families, the elderly, the sick, and those in distress. The day-to-day organisation of the communities, which are located in cities of different sizes (60,000 inhabitants in Matera, over 4 million in Rome, etc.), varies according to the apostolic commitments of the Sisters who make them up. Common prayer, shared meals, and fraternal meetings primarily structure the life of the communities, with a rhythm tied to each individual’s commitments.
In some cases, community initiatives are organised, such as open Eucharists or gatherings with lay friends. All the Sisters of the Italian entity come together twice a year for the provincial assembly.
The entity, composed of Helpers of various ages and located in fairly remote areas, draws its strength and dynamism from the life of faith and attitude of hope of each Sister, as well as from their attachment to the Institute.

Sisters

Communities and 3 Sisters living alone in Bergamo, Cosenza, Genoa, Matera, Milan, Rome, and Turin

“To serve the most abandoned people of this world and the next.”

Our missions

Caring for the sick poor has always been a priority for the Helpers, but all individuals receive various services from the Sisters: from catechesis to marriage preparation, from popular missions to adult literacy, from Ignatian retreats to family visits and prison outreach… The Sisters’ commitments are very diverse and change according to their desires, skills, or professions, but above all according to the requests made to them as they engage with the community.

Social Services

The Sisters of the Province collaborate with organisations such as Caritas and various foundations (e.g., Migrantes…) at different levels, as well as with many lay associations or cooperatives that are not necessarily Catholic. They work with women who are victims of human trafficking, Romani populations, prisoners, people with disabilities, migrants, and all those who suffer due to exclusion. Some Sisters work as professional educators or teachers, while others are involved in the socio-health sector as social workers, psychologists, or health agents.

Spiritual Guidance

Having received Ignatian training, the Helpers offer support to individuals and groups seeking meaning in their lives. They are involved in various spiritual training programs (especially prayer schools) and collaborate with Jesuit Fathers to provide support for spiritual exercises, as well as with parishes and dioceses (youth, family, and vocation ministries, etc.), caring for those who feel marginalised from the Christian community.

Hospitality

The Sisters in Milan occasionally welcome young girls, often university students, to offer them an experience of shared living. The duration of these stays varies. In other communities (Cosenza, Bergamo, Milan), individuals or groups are occasionally welcomed for days of reflection or spiritual exercises.

1880

Arrival of Helpers in Turin

From 1908 to 1966

Sisters set up in Roma, San Remo, Trieste, Bergamo

1961 – 1978

Arrival in Milano then in Matera

2010

Opening of a community in Cosenza