Induction Ceremony

The first fifty-six women were inducted as Spiritual mothers of priests on July 01- 2011, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. The Mass and Induction Ceremony took place at St. Maurice Parish, Ottawa, Canada. (Women were required to discern this call and then go through a two-day formation process before making a life-offering).   As of August 15th, 2021 there are over 180 spiritual mothers of priests from the Ottawa diocese and a few from other dioceses.  Each year we have an information session presenting “who we are and what we do”; a formation weekend with pertinent talks about the importance and concept of our apostolate given by priests; followed by the Holy Mass and Induction Ceremony which takes place weeks later.  If you’re interested, please call us for more details.
This clip was filmed during the ceremony of 2011. The mothers made a public prayer life-offering to God accepted by the Archbishop of the diocese on behalf of Holy Mother Church. Then, they each received a card containing daily prayers they were to recite, a “SMOP” lapel pin as a token of remembrance of their commitment and a white rose, which they placed in a vase before the statue of Our Lady. The white rose* symbolizes the unity between the spiritual mother and Our Lady in praying for her specific priest son and for parish priests, bishops, our Holy Father and new vocations to the priesthood. The highlight for each Spiritual mother was receiving an anonymous letter from her priest son. Congratulations to all the women. The Lord bless and inspire to holiness each mother and priest son. Our Lady of Sorrows, guide and protect us and our Spiritual priest-sons.  Amen.
White Rose* – please check new ministry “White Rose Memorial” within Spiritual Motherhood of Priests Apostolate under Learn More

SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD:  “Every priestly vocation comes from the Heart of God but passes through the heart of a mother”.