Get to know the Family!

Our PDDM community in Ireland,
present in Athlone and in Dublin

Many people have never heard of our religious Congregation so here is some basic information and answers to the questions which we get asked most!

Name of the Order:  Disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM)

Apostolate/Charism/Mission: Strong contemplative-apostolic lifestyle of loving and active silence. A three-fold charism: the main mission is to be 'living lamps' before Jesus present in the Eucharist, offering our prayer and Adoration for the intentions of the whole world. From this Eucharistic mission, two other ministries flow: that of liturgical service and of priestly service. We promote liturgical formation and animation through the production and distribution of sacred art. Alongside this, we are involved in different ministries throughout the day, ranging from sewing and embroidering vestments, painting, sculpture, architecture, music in order that prayer may be characterized by beauty and dignity. We are associated with the ministry of the priest ‘from the womb to the tomb’ and walk with him in different kinds of ministries as well as providing sacred spaces for rest, prayer and accompaniment for priests in need.

Eligibility: In Ireland, minimum age is 21, upper limit is 35 though acceptance will be discerned on a person to person basis. You must have completed Leaving Certificate (Irish system) or same equivalent in other countries. Candidates must have good health, be debt-free and be open to spending some of the formation period in Italy.

Formation: period of formation varies but after an initial ‘come and see’ period, the candidate is admitted to pre-postulancy (usually 1 year), then postulancy (1 yr), 2 years novitiate after which she is admitted to First Profession. A minimum of 6 years in temporary vows follows until Perpetual Profession

Vows: Vows of poverty, chastity and obedience lived out in structured community life

Practices: Day begins with 2 hours of liturgical and biblical prayer in common, including Lauds and Mass. The sisters pray the ‘Little Hours’ if they desire. Throughout the day, we have at least 2 hrs in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, as Perpetual Adoration is the foundation stone of our religious life. All our meals are in common, thus we cultivate a strong community life. In the evenings, we gather for Vespers and common prayers to thank Him for all He has given and to continue our prayer for the world. Our community prayer is open to lay people who wish to pray the Divine Office with us, morning and evening. Other practices include Rosary, guided Holy Hours for Vocations and the Church.

History: Founded in 1924 in Italy by Blessed James Alberione (1884 -1971) we form part of the Pauline Family. This is a family of priests, religious and lay people whose mission is: ‘to live and give Jesus Master to the world’. We are a community born of the Eucharist, open to the newness of the Spirit and inserted within our socio-ecclesial context. We are an international Congregation of religious women present in 31 countries. Our consecrated life is centred on the Eucharist– a life of prayer and intercession for all of humanity.

Recommended: Visit our website: www.pddm.ie (under construction at the moment)
                          International website (available in 4 languages): www.pddm.org
                          Blog: Pilgrims Progress: http://pilgrimsprogresspddm.blogspot.ca/