Ministries

The Sisters of Sion carry out their mission in so many ways. Below are just a few of the ministries in which we work.

CHURCH MINISTRY

  • Administrators
  • Pastoral Associates
  • Religious Education
  • Scripture Studies
  • Diocesan Offices
  • Workshops
  • Catholic Biblical Association
  • Retreats and Spiritual Direction
  • Oakmount Welcome House
 

EDUCATION & SOCIAL OUTREACH

  • Education/native peoples
  • Drop in centers
  • Tutor Mentor Programs
  • English as a Second Language
  • Teachers
  • Elderly assistance
  • Assistance to Marginalized
  • Sion Sisters Minister at Rossbrook House for First Nation children and youth

JEWISH-CHRISTIAN WORK

  •  
    Diocesan Interreligious Office
  • Diocesan National and International meetings
  • American Jewish Committee
  • Christian, Jewish, Muslim Women's trialogues
  • Classes in Catholic Schools and Synagogues
  • Holocaust Education
  • Teacher Formation
  • Workshops/Study Days
  • Jewish Camp


JERUSALEM  MINISTRIES -  AT THE HEART OF THE Congregation


Father  Alphonse Ratisbonne was convinced that he wanted to establish a branch of the sisters of Sion in Jerusalem, the city holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims, where the sisters could teach girls of all religious faiths, respecting their consciences, and making no attempts to convert them to Catholicism.
Father Alphonse founded Ecce Homo  on via Dolorosa, near the “Western Wall”,  the temple mount  and the way of the cross in the Old City of Jerusalem in 1856   In 1935, it was discovered to be an historical site  through excavations below which uncovered the  old Roman Road and the huge cisterns , probably near Pilate’s courtyard and the scene of Ecce Homo. Pilgrims are there daily visiting the site.

At first Ecce Homo  was a school of mainly Christian Arabs  but after the 1967 war, it became a hostel. for pilgrims .Today there are Biblical programs in Englisn, French and Spanish  at Ecce Homo to which people come from all over the world. www.biblicalformation.com  
Reservation email – reservation@eccehomoeconvent.org

In 1860, Ein Karem was founded by Father Alphonse i n the countryside near the visitation of Mary and Elizabeth.  In its earliest days, it was an orphanage and school for Christian, Jewish and Muslim children from the war in Lebanon. Then Ein Karen was a town of Christians and Muslims and the sisters were involved in various programs with them. The contemplative sisters joined with the apostolic sisters  and over time Ein Karem  foundation  became a Guest House. . After the founding of the State of Israel, the town  became  Jewish and many Jews  celebrate their festivities at the Guest House.  This year is the 150th anniversary of Ein Karem’s  foundation and a new venture is beginning with the brothers of Sion joining with the apostolic and contemplative sisters of Sion in  a  formation ministry. House reservations – sion_ek@netvision.net.il    www.brothersofsion.org.il

BAT KOL INSTITUTE - www.batkol.info

Bat Kol Institute began as a very lowly seed in Toronto in 1983 and has since had its central office transplanted to Jerusalem.

Bat Kol was founded on 8 April 1983 by Sr. Maureena Fritz nds and Sr. Anne Anderson. Bat Kol Institute is recognizable through centers and disciples around the world: in the Philippines, South Africa, India, United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Brazil and a number of other international venues.

Bat Kol is a Hebrew phrase that means "daughter of a voice". She is the daughter of God's Voice and her dwelling places range from the loftiest heights of human thought to the lowliest of hearts on earth. No place is closed to her presence. After the Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 of the present era, one of our ancients exclaimed, "I heard a divine voice cooing like a dove, and saying, ‘Woe to the children on account of their sins.'"

The Hebrew words bat kol that mean, in Hebrew, daughter of a voice, are imaged in this sculpture in which the bat kol is depicted as a dove. The Rabbinic tradition attests to this visualization... "I heard a divine voice cooing like a dove, and saying, ‘Woe to the children on account of their sins'" [Talmud].

The same imagery informs the Christian Scriptures... "He saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased'" [New Testament]. Bat Kol is a program for PEACE in Jerusalem. The aim of the program is: Christians studying scripture within its Jewish Milieu using Jewish sources.