Living a Life of Prayer
Intercessions
No matter whom our prayers are offered for in particular, the entire rhythm of our prayer life is directed to the glory of the Triune God and the salvation of all. Contemplation and intercession are inseparably linked, flowing into one another in a simple, wordless movement of the heart.
In contemplation, we turn first toward God and allow ourselves to rest in His love; from this encounter, our hearts naturally open to the needs of humanity. In intercession, we begin by carrying the burdens of the world before God, and in doing so, we return to the One who alone can heal every sorrow.
Thus, our life, wholly consecrated to God, becomes a continuous act of intercession, even when we are not explicitly formulating petitions.
Prayer for Priests
We give special heed to the Lord’s command: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest.” Following the charge entrusted to us by St. Arnold, we offer prayer and sacrifice in a particular way for priests.
Knowing that the evangelization of the world cannot advance without dedicated priests—conformed to Christ, the Eternal High Priest—we lift them up day and night. Each hour of nocturnal adoration is offered for priests, both living and deceased, accompanied by the Marian Rosary or another prayer suited to the moment.
Liturgy
Our union with the Lord, begun in Baptism and deepened through our vows, reaches its fullest expression in the sacred liturgy and through listening to His word.
The Holy Eucharist contains the Church’s entire spiritual treasure: Christ Himself. By participating in the Eucharist each day, we unite ourselves to His offering and fully share in the fruits of the Holy Sacrifice.
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours in choir binds us to the prayer of the whole Church. It nourishes our personal prayer and becomes a continuing source of grace and strength for our contemplative life.
The liturgical year, centered on the mysteries of Christ’s life, guides us through seasons of grace and continually invites us into deeper communion with Jesus. From Advent’s longing to the Paschal mystery’s triumph, the liturgical cycle shapes and enriches our spiritual growth.
Sunday, the Lord’s Day, is a weekly celebration of joy and renewal. On this day, we remember our baptismal rebirth into Christ and give thanks to the Triune God for the gifts of creation, redemption, and sanctification.
Mary
No description of the spirituality of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters would be complete without honoring Mary, Mother of the Lord and Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit. We look to her as the perfect model of faithful, loving attentiveness to God’s word.
Through her Fiat, spoken in profound faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit, she became the Mother of the Redeemer and the giver of true life to the world. She pondered the mysteries of God in her heart, contemplated His saving works, and united herself completely to her Son’s self‑offering for humanity’s redemption.
With the disciples, she remained steadfast in prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and she continues this intercessory mission within the mystery of the Church. In her, we recognize the meaning and ultimate goal of our own vocation at the heart of the Church.
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, marks the founding day of our Congregation. On this day in 1896, St. Arnold officially established our community and entrusted its spiritual and material well‑being to Mary’s maternal care. With her, we proclaim the great things God has done and continues to accomplish in our lives.
Early Morning
It is early morning. The window is open in the Chapel. With the fresh air come in the sound of bird songs, cars passing on by the nearby highway, sirens and horns. Life is awakening in Saint Louis. Here, as I kneel in adoration, my heart brings in the cacophony of this morning’s praise as the world awakens: “For those on the way to work, for those on the way from work, for students and teachers going to school, young college students, those going to job interviews. For nurses and doctors returning from a night of work, for the parents of a sick child. For those caring for their elderly parents, for the sick, the dying and for those who died the past night.” All are brought before the King, the Lord of all: to heal, protect, strengthen, and uphold with his mighty power at the beginning of the day.