OUR SPIRITUALITY

Our dedication to empathize with the sufferings of the oppressed and contribute to their upliftment originates from the call we have received from Jesus Christ to follow Him. This commitment entails a profound connection with God, an understanding of His plan for the world, and a vision of the new heaven and the new earth attained through contemplation and prayer. Our unity with God compels us to engage in the struggles of the marginalized, as our faith teaches us that God resides among the poor.

We become engaged in God’s mission of salvation only by participating in the struggles of the poor and oppressed. This understanding of our commitment arises from the spirituality imparted to us by our Foundress, ThatipathriGnanamma, as well as from the vision of our Congregation: “To grow in God-experience in solidarity with the oppressed and contribute towards a just society”.


Spirituality of involvement

For a Sister of St.Anne, spirituality is not just a practice; it is a way of life. She integrates it into every aspect and activity of her life, not confining it to specific times, places, or activities, but embracing all dimensions of her existence. She lives out her spirituality within her community and her mission field, in places of worship as well as in her ministries. It is a discipleship akin to that of Jesus, who prayed, preached, and took decisive action. Just as He lived and died for a cause, she is called to do the same. Her entire life is oriented towards such an integrated spirituality.


Our spirituality is oriented towards realizing the Vision of our Congregation in our lives, communities, and missions worldwide. Therefore, ours is a spirituality of engagement. We are disciples of a God who incarnated as a human in Jesus Christ. God became one of us - Emmanuel. He fought against forces that hindered others from living fulfilling lives. He liberated the woman caught in adultery; after curing the lepers, he instructed them to reintegrate into society; he spoke out against oppressive political and religious structures. Jesus promoted a life of abundance. He said, ‘Whoever leaves behind father and mother... will receive a hundredfold’ (Mark 10:29). He transformed water into wine at a wedding in Cana; forgave sinners and urged them to sin no more; healed the sick and lepers, and shared table fellowship with outcasts and despised individuals.

Since spirituality for us is a journey towards the fullness of life (John 10:10), it demands our active involvement in all its dimensions, including social, cultural, religious, and ecological. On one hand, we seek to promote and support whatever contributes to a fuller life; on the other hand, we strive to overcome the obstacles that impede or destroy it.

Our devotional practices

Our devotional practices prepare us to engage with the world, building a new heaven and a new earth with enthusiasm and commitment.


Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we set aside time exclusively for prayer, meditation, and other devotional practices every day, often multiple times a day. The more we immerse ourselves in the struggles against anything that hinders abundant life, the more we strive to spend time alone with God in prayer and contemplation. Prayer is integral to our lives; it supports our ministries, and our prayer deepens our involvement in them. Prayer also challenges us to overcome obstacles to a full life. From this perspective, we infuse new meaning into our spiritual exercises and devotional practices:


  • The Eucharistic celebration commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, providing us with an opportunity to bring to the altar the struggles, successes, and failures of our ministries as we strive to promote abundant life.
  • The recitation of the Church’s prayers reminds us of the importance of regularly lifting our hearts to God along with the entire community of believers, namely the people of God. Their concerns and aspirations become our own.
  • Monthly recollections and annual retreats serve as our desert experiences, akin to those of Jesus. They enable us to retreat to a solitary place with Jesus, learning from his teachings and examples to renew our commitment and deepen our faith.
  • The celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation offers us an experience of God's compassion and mercy. It aids in removing feelings of hatred and empowers us to forgive others, including those who perpetrate injustice and oppression.
  • The lives and experiences of the poor offer both joyful and sorrowful events for our meditation as we recite the rosary. Through them, we discern the patterns of human predicaments, God's involvement, and the humanizing responses, mirroring the experiences of Mary and Jesus, who were also poor in the eyes of Yahweh.
  • Moments of meditative silence are integrated into our daily routine, nurturing, deepening, and personalizing our prayer and self-reflection.
  • We enrich ourselves with truth and deepen our faith by reading the Word of God daily.
  • We observe days of silence to engage in deeper introspection and commune with the Lord, who speaks profoundly in silence.
  • We reserve the final moments of the day for self-examination, offering us a clearer insight into our religious life and our commitment to ministry. It serves as a time for accepting truths about ourselves and purifying our motivations.
  • We practice fasting as a means to heighten spiritual awareness.