MOTHER MISSIONARIES OF THE ETERNAL PRIEST JESUS
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OUR HISTORY
"Thank you, Lord, for in your mercy, despite my insufficiency, you made me Mother of many souls, the Missionary Sisters of Eternal Jesus Priest, who live in the Church, with your grace, their offering to Jesus the Priest, love for the Holy Father the Pope, for the Priests, Bearers of God, who want with their lives to answer my cry together with me: ‘What use is my Blood if no one makes it count?’
And you, Jesus, hear this prayer of mine: grant the gift of great trust in you to all the Missionary Sisters of Eternal Jesus Priest, of all times, today and tomorrow.
‑ Venerable Mother Margherita Maria Guaini
Foundation
The Institute was founded by Mother Margherita Maria Guaini, born in Ceto (Brescia) on 21 November 1902. After several years of religious life with the Sisters of Charity of Brescia and later with the Visitation Sisters of Brescia, she felt called to establish a new religious community whose members would make a total offering for the good of the Church, especially for the sanctification of priests and in service to all humanity redeemed by the Blood of Christ.
In 1945 Mother Margherita left the monastery to begin the new Institute, encouraged also by the words of Monsignor Giovanni Battista Montini (future Pope Paul VI), who urged her to bring the charism received as a gift from God into the world.
The first community arose in Atella (Potenza) in 1947. In 1948, because of certain historical events, the Institute settled in Matera, where, at the invitation of Bishop Monsignor Vincenzo Cavalla, the first Sisters began their service in the archdiocesan convents of Matera and Acerenza, simultaneously opening other houses in northern Italy.
Stabilisation and Canonical Recognitions
Officially the Institute began in Atella on 8 May 1947.
In 1953 our Founder moved to Varallo Sesia in the Diocese of Novara, where Bishop Monsignor Gilla Vincenzo Gremigni granted canonical erection. The first professions took place on 27 December 1954. On 29 April 1964 Monsignor Placido Maria Cambiaghi recognised the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Eternal Jesus Priest (MGES) as a diocesan institute.
On 8 December 1975 Pope Paul VI, by a Decree of Praise, recognised our Institute as a pontifical congregation.
Recent Evolution
Our Mother House is in Varallo Sesia (Diocese of Novara), in the church‑convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where Eucharistic Adoration is held daily and where our Founding Mother is buried. The Generalate of the Institute is in Rome, on Via Trionfale, at the Parish of Saint Francis of Monte Mario.
Today the MGES Sisters are spread across 36 communities in Italy and around the world.
Charism and Spirituality
Each Sister lives the charism through the glorification of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, spiritually supporting priests, living Eucharistically united to Jesus’ offering to the Father as a true contemplative‑apostolic commitment. We promote Eucharistic adoration, active participation in the liturgy, fraternity and the common priesthood of the faithful.
Pastoral Activities and Works
We collaborate with priests in parish pastoral work; we are present in seminaries, priests’ houses, vacation homes and care facilities for elderly and sick priests; we are dedicated to teaching in schools of every order and level.
International Spread
In 1975 our Institute opened to the “Mission ad Gentes.” Since then houses have been established in Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay, the Philippines and India. The foreign communities are organised into two delegations: one for Latin America and one for Asia.
Charismatic Family
In 1977 our Founder promoted the Apostolic Movement New (M.A.N.), encouraging lay participation in the MGES charism and spirituality.
Our charismatic family also includes the male branch of MGES priests, present in Bolivia, who proclaim and bear witness to the mercy of Jesus the Priest, living the vow of fraternal priestly charity in line with Mother Margherita’s spiritual vision, as well as the small group of Oblate MGES, laywomen consecrated in the world.
The Holy Spirit gave a gift to Mother Margherita Maria Guaini, our Foundress, to accept and respond to a question mystically received from the lips of Jesus: "What use is my Blood if no one makes it count?" (cf. Psalm 30:10), by sharing the universal thirst of Christ the Priest for salvation, making known, appreciated, and lived the mystery of the Holy Mass, in which He, through the ministry of Priests, continues to offer His unique and universal redemptive sacrifice to the Father.