Community of Blessed Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad
28 15th S.E.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 543-2064
c.maryelizabethhesselblad@servidoras.org
serving in the Archdiocese of Washington

Our mission here officially began in February 2011.

Since the Juniorate House of Studies was opened in 2001, many apostolic sisters (those who have completed the Juniorate period of formation) lived at the Juniorate and worked in various apostolates in the Archdiocese of Washington. In March 2011 the Juniorate moved to a new house, and so the sisters working in the Archdiocese of Washington now comprise a seperate mission. Currently, one sister works in the Missions Office of the Archdiocese and all members of the community assist at St. James Parish in Mount Rainier, MD.

Our sisters have been working at St. James since 2005, running the Oratory on Saturdays and heavily involved in both the Spanish and English catechism programs. Since 2009, one of our sisters has been the Director of Religious Education (DRE) for the parish. Other parish apostolates include the recently founded "Blessed Carlos Gnocchi Group" for special needs families. Also, members of our Third Order throughout the Metro Washington area meet every two weeks at St. James.

Apostolate

• Pontifical Mission Societies: "The Pontifical Mission Societies have, as their primary purpose, the promotion of a universal missionary spirit - a spirit of prayer and sacrifice - among all baptized Catholics and to gather support for the worldwide mission of the Church" (http://www.worldmissions-catholicchurch.org).
• The Holy Childhood Association (HCA) is a society of the Pontifical Mission Society. It was founded in 1843 by French Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson. One of our sisters works as the Missions Education Coordinator of HCA. She helps coordinate mission education in schools.

Our Patron
Blessed Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad
Of Swedish origin, Mother M. Elizabeth Hesselblad (1870-1957) converted from Lutheranism to Roman Catholicism in the United States. Ill and with little hope of recovery she journeyed to Rome to the house of her great compatriot Saint Bridget, where she was able to remain thanks to special permission given by Pope Saint Pius X. She was called “the second Bridget "; and after a gap of six centuries the spirit of Saint Bridget once again flourished in Rome and elsewhere thanks to the courage, strength and perseverance of Mother Elizabeth.
It was not her intention originally to found a new Order, only to revive the ancient Order in the same house where Bridget had lived and died. She cherished the dream of taking the Bridgettine Sisters back to Sweden once more and of letting the Order take root in any country desired by God, so that the true spirit of Christian unity and service of others would be spread, just as it had been spread by the ancient Order of Saint Bridget. The communities founded by Mother Elizabeth under a central authority without Papal en-closure, and her insistence that they are an integral part of the ancient Order of the Most Holy Saviour, commonly called Bridgettines, gave rise to much criticism and sometimes to controversy. However after thirty years of continuous trials and persevering through difficulties of all kinds, her Order was canonically approved and on 7th July 1940 it was recognized as being under Cannon Law. Today, the Order of the Most Holy Saviour of Saint Bridget, founded by the Blessed Elizabeth Hesselblad, consists of fifty houses spread over in three continents, working ever faithfully to the charisma given to them by Mother Elisabeth.

Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad was beatified on April 9th 2000 by the Servant of God, John Paul II. This humble yet great Sister, transfused the treasures of her spirit, her faith and her love to the Institute she founded, with the sole intention of making it a humble instrument for the spreading of the Kingdom of God on earth.

Read more about Blessed Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad at Suore Brigidine: Order of the Most Holy Savior of St. Bridiget