We must refuse to imagine the future of the Church without religious women.
It matters for all of us.
The mission of Friends of the Bridegroom is to renew the Church through the healing, renewal, and expansion of women’s religious life in America.
A Problem and a Paradigm
Fr. John Burns explains the paradigm guiding the Friends of the Bridegroom.
Our Vision:
To foster a movement in the Church
for the renewal of the Bride.
Healing and Renewal
At the foundation of the movement, Friends of the Bridegroom assists the ongoing renewal of existing religious communities. This happens primarily through a comprehensive set of retreats and seminars pertaining to organizational and spiritual health.
Vocation Promotion
In much of the Church, young women no longer have religious sisters to locally accompany them in discernment, even as God continues to call.
Friends of the Bridegroom assists local Churches in establishing or solidifying a culture of vocational discernment for young women, especially in parishes and dioceses that lack a vibrant presence of women religious.
Formation
Friends of the Bridegroom supports the ongoing formation of religious women by leveraging existing resources and developing new resources to help fill the gaps for what individual communities are able to provide for their sisters.
Community
Friends of the Bridegroom gathers believers into the renewal of the whole Church through the renewal of women’s religious life. Contact us for more information on how to get involved.
Every member of the Church can do something.
The work of renewal is the concern of the whole Church. You can help support the renewal of women’s religious life daily through prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving.
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Pray
Pray specifically every day for the healing, renewal, and expansion of religious life. You can add renewal of women’s religious life as an intention to family prayer, offer Masses for this intention, etc.
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Sacrifice
Gather a group of friends or family and choose a common sacrifice for the intention of renewal in women’s religious life. Consider simple, consistent fasts.
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Give
Find a local convent near you and support the Sisters monetarily or through items or help that they may need.
You can also donate to Friends of the Bridegroom to help us in this mission.