The Missionary Work of Jesus and Mary is a female religious institute of pontifical right founded in Spain by María Pilar Izquierdo Albero, beatified by Pope John Paul II in Rome in St. Peter’s Square, November 4, 2001. The sisters of the congregation put the acronym O.M.J.M. to their name in order to underline their belonging and their close connection to the order. Interpreting and responding faithfully to the charism that her Foundress entrusted to her daughters, their main purpose is to serve Christ and to realize the Consecration of life in the loving practice of works of mercy, especially with the poor, the sick, the workers, the children and those in need of whatever order they may be.
To accomplish all this the Missionary Work of Jesus and Mary proposes itself :
- To take care of the needs of the poor, the workers and the sick in their homes and counseling centers.
- To welcome the children of these humble people in the child education centers, while the parents spend their time at work.
- To bring people far from religious practices closer to the life of faith, making it easier for them to receive the sacraments, in collaboration with parish priests and priests.
- To carry out these same works of mercy in the missions.
This was the ideal of Blessed Mother Maria Pilar and for all this she lived. Her longing was the salvation of souls and to make the Divine Love known and loved. From this we can understand why her motto was: “Pain, Souls, Love”, incarnated from the beginning to the end of her life.
From her thoughts the whole essence of our religious family’s vocation is revealed:
«Love conquers everything and for love we are the handmaidens of all the souls thirsty for our God and for all the cold hearts that do not even know him. In telling you all these insignificant words, I am so hungry, but so strong, that I would like to become air to be able to convert the whole world and bring everyone into the sweetest womb of our God. How exciting to be a Missionary! Oh yes! To be an ambassador of our Jesus. And how should it not be a great joy to feed the hungry and drink to the thirsty and dress the naked? Isn’t it true that there can be no greater joy or more beautiful Heaven in this exile?»
It is by walking that the road opens up..