Vision

The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) is an international congregation of Catholic Sisters, Associates and Lay Consecrated who are dedicated to the full development of the human person through education, social justice, contemplation and the arts. Our work occurs in settings including preschools, elementary and high schools, parishes, tutoring centers, graduate programs, studios, prisons, immigrant centers, clinics, spirituality and retreat centers, and in programs and communities that seek a Gospel path and to promote systemic change.

Professed members of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary commit themselves to three vows:

1. By the vow of poverty, they renew their intention to use only what they need and to share with those who are poor.
2. By the vow of chastity, they strive to love inclusively and take on Jesus’ own reverence and concern for all people.
3. By the vow of obedience, they renew their search for God’s desire for themselves through prayerful reflection, dialog and collaboration with all those concerned.

The SNJM community promotes the following core values which are at the heart of our charism (“charism” means a gift from God for the good of God’s people):

• Dedication to justice: Committing time, energy, resources to the pursuit of right relationships of equality, justice and solidarity.
• Service to people who are poor or marginalized: Reaching out and responding to people who are impoverished, abandoned or living at the fringes of society.
• Education in the faith: Creating an atmosphere which invites people to live, develop and express their faith.
• Hospitality: Being a gracious, accepting and welcoming presence for each person.
• Dedication to women and children: Seeing, understanding and responding to the needs of women and children.
• Commitment to liberating action: Seeking with others the freedom needed to live life fully without oppression.
• Full development of the human person: Cultivating and respecting the talents, abilities and potential of each person, contributing to the development of all aspects of a person’s life.
• Love for the names of Jesus and Mary: Embracing as guide, inspiration and strength the persons and names of Jesus and Mary.