Background of the Bon Secours Associates In the United States

The Associates of the Sisters of Bon Secours were formed to broaden the scope of the laity’s participation within the community of Bon Secours and the Church. Associates are women and men, married or single, religious or clergy, Catholic or from other faith traditions, who feel called to share the mission of the Sisters of Bon Secours through prayer, service and inclusive fellowship. Associates make a commitment to extend the Bon Secours mission in their own lives.

This relationship to the Sisters is over 30 years old.  In 1980, the Sisters of Bon Secours became one of the first congregations in the United States to begin the Associate relationship for those persons interested in sharing in the Sisters’ ministry in a more active way.

Although traditionally Bon Secours’ mission was primarily in healthcare, Associates and Sisters today serve as Good Help (the meaning of Bon Secours, in French) in many different settings. They aspire to be expressions of compassion, healing and liberation wherever they are, in their families, places of work, and Church and local communities. They collaborate with the Sisters of Bon Secours in mission by extending the values and spirit of Bon Secours into the wider world. Local groups of Associates gather together once a month to share faith and pray together, strengthening their commitment to extend the reign of God (as stated in the Sisters’ Mission Statement): by “Reproducing in ourselves Christ healing…Christ consoling…Christ loving… Christ always aware of the needs of others.”

The Bon Secours Associates bring the prayerful and tangible healing presence of Christ to those with whom we live, meet and work as inspired by the charism of the Sisters of Bon Secours worldwide.