WHO ARE THE TERESIAN SISTERS?

We are an international religious community of women dedicated to prayer, education, and sacrifice. Founded in 1876 by St. Henry de Osso, the Society bears his mark of ardent love of Christ, zeal for his interests, and fidelity to the church.

Called and consecrated by God, we offer our lives to Him through vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. We live together in community, committed to loving one another, as witnesses to the world of the Lord’s special presence to those who gather in His name. Sharing in Christ's sacrifice, we accept the trials and contradictions resulting from our commitment to extend God's Kingdom on Earth.

Christ is the center of all that we are and do. Like St. Henry, we strive to belong entirely to Jesus, that everything about us may proclaim, "I belong to Jesus." This kind of total commitment, the radical giving of ourselves to God, becomes possible only through the integration of prayer with every aspect of our lives. We bring our life, its daily routine, all our concerns, both great and small, to the Lord.

With St. Teresa of Avila as our guide, we come to prayer seeking to know ourselves, to know the Lord, and to deepen our friendship with Him; and we dare to undertake our ministry only with the aid of prayer. Mornings and evenings, in union with all the church, we come together to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Through daily Eucharist, sharing Scripture with each other, and both personal and community prayer, we are called to deeper conversion and are strengthened for ministry.

The goal of all our ministry is to make Christ known and loved throughout the world. Through education we try to form Christ in the hearts and minds of those we serve as teachers in the elementary and secondary schools, and in college; as catechists and trainers of catechists; as teachers of prayer, leaders for retreats, prayer groups and youth groups; and in offering opportunities for lay volunteers to join us in mission work.

Teresian Sisters now serve in 23 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and in the Americas. In the United States, we work in inner city, suburban, and rural areas of Texas, Florida, and Louisiana. Especially mindful of the needs of the poor, we are called to go wherever the interests of Jesus are most in danger, wherever God’s word needs to be spoken.