Pope Leo XIV tells Sacramentine nuns to be 'weavers of communion'

Pope Leo XIV received the Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament at the Vatican on September 5, marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Federation of the Holy Spirit. The pope stressed the importance of the constant search for the face of Christ and said it was essential to cultivate "a eucharistic spirituality, that is, a spirituality of ecclesial unity in love."

The nuns traveled to Rome on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Blessed Maria Maddalena of the Incarnation, their founder. The pope called them "a shining witness to the gratuitousness of God, who sows in the human heart the restlessness to seek and contemplate his face." Pope Pius VII supported the order at its foundation. St. John Paul II declared Maria Maddalena "Venerable" in 2001, and Benedict XVI beatified her in 2008.

Perpetual adoration and ecclesial communion

Leo XIV stressed the central place of perpetual adoration in the charism of the Sacramentine nuns and urged them to be "weavers of communion" through prayer, work and eucharistic adoration. He said he hoped their time of grace in the Eternal City would renew and strengthen them, so that they could radiate to the world the beauty of the face of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

The pope also stressed the importance of unity among the faithful, quoting the psalmist: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted." This search for the face of God, he said, takes shape in a life of continuous and silent adoration that unites believers into one body through the sacrifice of the altar.

Eucharistic spirituality and renewed hope

In his address the pope returned to the need for a "eucharistic spirituality," which he said reflects the unity of the community of believers in Christ. He encouraged the Adorers to live with "renewed hope and desire for holiness." Fidelity to the wisdom of the Gospel, he said, is the most fitting path for those led by the Holy Spirit in their dedication to the love of God and neighbor.

The order's history and global presence

The Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament, also known as the Sacramentine nuns, were founded in Rome in 1807 by Blessed Maria Maddalena of the Incarnation. The nuns follow the Augustinian rule and adore the Blessed Sacrament day and night. The Federation of the Holy Spirit, to which they belong, brings together about 30 monasteries, most of them in Mexico, and has close to 1,000 nuns worldwide. They wear a white tunic with a red scapular and a black veil.