The Beatitudes Community was founded in France in 1973 by Ephraim and Josette Croissant, with another young couple, Jean-Marc and Mireille Hammel. We opened our first house in New Zealand in Christchurch in 1994. The Beatitudes ecclesial family is made up of priests and brothers, consecrated sisters and lay members. All the members of the Community share a common vocation of prayer, service and hospitality. This may be expressed through retreats, spiritual guidance, and fostering a contemplative spirit in the midst of daily life. Our Spirituality is both Eucharistic and Marian, inspired by the Carmelite tradition of contemplative prayer and living out the spirit of the Beatitudes (ref. Matthew 5:3-12). We announce the Gospel through the liturgy, beauty, music, art, working with young people, works of compassion, spiritual formation and accompaniment, and missionary activity.
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MEET OUR SISTERS
COME SHARE IN OUR LIFE
“Contemplative prayer is nothing more than a close sharing between friends,
it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.”
-St. Teresa of Avila
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Contemplative prayer, a pure dialogue of love, has an essential place in our life, for it is the royal pathway by which we are led to the knowledge of Him who is Himself all Love:
"The one who does not love, does not know God, for God is love"
(1 Jn. 4, 8) (Book of Life, 22c).
Click on a photo to find out more about each Sister
Sr Therese of Jesus
From Christchurch, NZ
From Toulouse, France
Sr Clare of Assisi
Sr Marie Jeanne
From Wallis & Futuna
From Obergg, Switzerland
Sr Gabriela of the Eucharist
“We will strive to recognize in all brothers and sisters, in all men, a "sacrament"of God." (Book of Life, 3)
God has a way of speaking to people through the various gifts He distributes in the Church.
What we have received becomes gift and everyone we come across is in turn a gift to be received. Hospitality is essential to our life.
We are privileged to accompany each weary pilgrim who comes across our path, whether by spiritual direction and personal retreats, or by offering a share in our life, through liturgy, celebration, meals and fraternity.
"There are artistic expressions that are true paths to God, the supreme Beauty, and indeed are a help in growing in our relationship with Him in prayer.
These are the works of art that are born of faith and that express the faith."
-Pope Benedict XVI
Through the beauty of the arts, we enter more fully into our life of unceasing prayer and share it with othersbe it by iconography, painting, sculpture, dance or liturgical music.
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups (Jews and Greeks) one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility"
- St. Paul to the Ephesians
From the beginning, the Beatitudes Community has fostered unity in the Church, whether it be in the communion of the various states of life, of priesthood, sisters, brothers, families and singles; or in our openness to our Jewish roots and heritage, the beauty of the Byzantine East, the rich traditions of the Latin Church,
and the charismatic dimension highlighted by our Protestant brothers and sisters.