About the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA Sisters)

To know and love God, and to make God known and loved.

Who We Are

Ready to risk it all for the Lord

We are an international missionary community of Religious Sisters; women grounded in faith, and committed to walking with those on the margins.

Founded for mission, we seek to live out the Gospel through presence, partnership, and prophetic witness.

Inspired by Mary, the first disciple and apostle, we strive to embody compassion and courage in a world in need of both. Ready to risk it all for the Lord, we dedicate our lives to living all dimensions of our mission, in a spirit of synodality, making God’s love known by promoting dignity, justice, and peace.

Our Mission and Charism

Women in Communion

Our mission flows from the call given to our founder, Fr Augustine Plaque, and from the inspiration of Mary and the Apostles in the quiet of the Cenacle. That space of

prayer,

waiting,

and listening.

It is there, in that shared silence and anticipation, that our charism takes shape:

a call to be present,

to remain vulnerable and open to the movement of the Spirit,

and to faithfully trust in God’s call.

Our mission draws us into relationship with God, with one another, and with the world around us.

It calls us to step beyond certainty and convenience, and to respond to the needs of those most vulnerable, especially women and all who live with the burden of poverty and exclusion.

It asks that we embody availability and courage, and attend to the world’s realities with humility.

Mary’s courage, her contemplative strength, her willingness to say yes even in uncertainty, sustains us.

We look to her as we strive to be women in communion.

What We Do

Making God’s love known through the witness of our lives.

By God’s grace, we serve where human need is greatest and where presence is most necessary. Our priority is to stand alongside those on the margins, especially women and children, who face poverty, exclusion, and injustice.

Our apostolates and ministries include: education, health care, social and pastoral work, and cultivating dialogue across cultures and faiths and engaging in non-violent action for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. We engage in these areas with respect and attentiveness, committed to listening deeply and responding with humility.

Together with those we serve and alongside like-minded partners, we seek to live the Gospel through actions that uphold dignity, bring healing, and encourage lasting change.

Synodality guides our approach in all that we do, as we walk together with those we serve, with each other, and with like-minded partners. This shared journey of listening and discerning shapes how we live the Gospel through actions that uphold dignity, bring healing, and encourage lasting change.