The Lay Canossians

are persons who are called by vocation to live the Canossian Family's charism and spirituality in the world. Moved by the Holy Spirit and urged by zeal for "God's glory and the good of one's neighbour", Magdalene of Canossa wanted, right from the very beginning of her work, to pick out and form lay people who were willing to share in the charism of her "littlest Institute". (cf Statute p. 7). Magdalene therefore takes the formation of lay women to heart so as to involve them in the Institute's works:
- through Spiritual Exercises for noblewomen
- through the external Tertiaries

- through the country teachers through whom she will seek to reach places and categories deprived of spiritual aids, religious instruction and moral support.

As the Institute's history has unfolded, various ways of sharing in the charism have materialised for lay people: companies, unions, associations and affiliations. One of these various ways was the founding of the "Association of Canossian Collaborators" and on 1st May 1950 the Church approved the "Canossian Collaborators' Statute" which was later to be reformulated in response to the new challenges offered by contemporary culture and the sensitivities of people in our times.

In 1984, the 11th General Chapter of the Institute of the Daughters of Charity re-interpreted the Foundress' prophetic intuitions, keeping the perspective of the Second Vatican Council and the Magisterium's new guidelines in mind, and reaffirmed that lay people's vocation to share in the Canossian charism is a special gift that Our Lord makes to the Church and for the Church.

With the march of history and at the Institute's 12th General Chapter, celebrated in 1990, the "LAY CANOSSIAN" Association's Statute was deliberated upon. (cf. Statute, p. 8).

The Lay Canossians are persons who, discovering that they are in harmony with the charism of Magdalene of Canossa, feel themselves to be called to live the charity of Christ Crucified in a secular dimension and ask to share in the Canossian family's life in order to collaborate with the Daughters of Charity in their ministries. They agree to allow themselves to be formed by the GREATEST LOVE and by devotion to OUR LADY OF SORROWS so as to bear witness to the Gospel in every environment of life, paying particular attention to little ones, the poor in the various expressions of poverty, the suffering, the young, the elderly, and the requests that their own local church may make.

The calling to be a Lay Canossian is realised in different ways:
    - with the promise that is renewable every year.
    - with private vows.
    - with a commitment to the missions "Ad Gentes"
   - with the free choice to live in a community, in a manner and for a time that is mutually agreed.

The Association has spread throughout the world.

consecrated lc