History

My name is Sister Francis Marie, FMMS. I am the Director of Adopt-a-Priest and the foundress of the Daughters of Mary, Mother Priests (Filioque Mariae, Mater Sacerdotorum): a newly established community of consecrated women in the Diocese of Spokane in Washington State, USA.

Our charism is in support of the Catholic Priesthood, particularly through Spiritual Motherhood, and thus in the “Year for Priests” in 2009, the Adopt-a-Priest program was launched as an extension of our ministry with the desire to foster a family of prayer around our priests.

This apostolate of spiritual adoption found inspiration in a letter promulgated by the Congregation of the Clergy in which a movement of prayer in support of the ministerial priesthood was called for. In the letter, Cardinal Hummes clearly stated the need that priests have for the spiritual support of the people:

“We cannot do without a spiritual motherhood for our priestly life: let us entrust ourselves confidently to the prayer of the whole of Holy Mother Church, to the motherhood of the People, whose pastors we are but to whom are entrusted our custody and holiness; let us ask for this fundamental support.”

- Cardinal Claudio Hummes, Letter for World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, Vatican City, 30 May, 2008