Established in 2023, the Martha Charism Ministry works to make the Charism of Gospel Hospitality visible, tangible, and alive in today’s world. We dream, imagine, explore, and create new possibilities for sharing the Martha story and inviting all people to share in the Martha spirit. Our hope is to “set free” the Charism—to allow it to take root in the world around us, to grow and evolve in new and unexpected ways, and to continue unfolding into the future.
GOSPEL HOSPITALITY:
A RADICAL WAY OF BEING
Every religious community has its own unique Charism that shapes its life and mission. It guides where they live, who they serve, how they work, and the causes to which they commit themselves. It gives the community its identity and differentiates it from other religious congregations. For the Sisters of St. Martha, that Charism is GOSPEL HOSPITALITY. It is a radical welcome that creates spaces beyond the physical, where the inherent dignity of every person can be recognized with generosity and compassion and where difficult realities and the other are embraced. It means making room or one another, being willing to encounter the other, especially when it is difficult or uncomfortable.
We, Sisters draw inspiration from the biblical figure of St. Martha who, along with her siblings Mary and Lazarus, was a beloved friend of Jesus and welcomed him and his followers into her home. We embrace this same spirit of welcome and hospitality by responding generously to the cries around us with the same love that Jesus showed to the outcast, marginalized, scorned, ignored or unworthy.
HOW DO THE MARTHAS LIVE THEIR CHARISM?
The Marthas’ mission has always been shaped by listening to the signs of the times and responding to the cries around them — cries from individuals, communities, society, and even the planet itself.
The Charism has taken many forms, it continuously evolves in response to the signs of the times, in response to the world in which it lives. Over 125 years, hundreds of women living their Charism have brought about numerous initiatives, programs, institutions, ministries, missions, collaborations and acts of everyday hospitality.
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WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Because the cries for Gospel Hospitality are all around us and they are as loud as ever.
Loneliness. Isolation. Fear. Intolerance. Political polarization. Environmental crisis. The need for reconciliation and belonging.
All of these cries can seem overwhelming or impossible to respond to. But when we use our gifts in service of the common good; when we live our Charism and use our gifts, no matter how simple they might seem, we can make the seemingly impossible, possible.
Why establish this new ministry? Because we have come to recognize that this gift does not only belong to us and even as we age and our numbers diminish the Charism is what will live on.
We invite you to carry this light forward — to continue showing the world what it means to live like a Martha: with simple kindness, openness, and genuine love for one another.
WHAT DO WE DO?
♦ Kid’s corner
♦ Play
♦ Activity Book
♦ Story time
♦ Scavenger hunts
♦ Pieces of Bethany
♦ Antigonish Heritage Museum
♦ Charism Conversations