The Confraternity of Christian Mothers

What is it?

The Confraternity of Christian Mothers is an organization for women started by a holy, respectable wife and mother named Louise Josson de Bilhem in Lille, France, in 1850. She answered the wishes of other pious mothers who were very concerned about the welfare and sanctity of their souls and their children’s souls in those tumultuous times. They met as a group for the first time on Mary’s feast, May 1, 1850, to pray with and for one another and their children, to discuss their problems, and to offer advice to each other regarding the Christian rearing of their children.

Why would I want to join this Confraternity?

The goal of this Confraternity is not simply to unite mothers in prayer, but also to support, guide and inspire mothers in performing their duties and in practicing virtue. By Catholic instruction at regular meetings, it strives to encourage and impress on them the importance of motherhood and to inflame them with ardent zeal. Its aim is to show them the way of attaining their own sanctification and that of their families and to induce them to bring up their children as useful members of society, ensuring their temporal and especially their eternal welfare. It is also wonderful to visit with other mothers who are going through the same kinds of trials.

Any Catholic woman, married or widow, with or without children, old and young alike, may be admitted as long as they intend to promote the aims of the Confraternity and comply with its statutes. Once enrolled, you are a member for life, enjoying its many benefits during life and especially at death. The deceased members and their children are forever recommended to the hearts, prayers and merits of their associates. One of the special advantages in membership is the actual presence of our divine Lord with His graces: “Where two or more are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.” There are also many indulgences attached to membership of this Confraternity, provided the members go to confession, receive Holy Communion and have the intention of gaining these indulgences. A plenary indulgence is given on the day of admission; another at the hour of death if the member jpronounces the holy Name of Jesus; on the principle feast of the Confraternity or its octave and on the ten feasts named in the Confraternity’s manual. There are also many partial indulgences that may be gained. The most interesting advantage of being a member is this: every single time a mother (being in the state of grace and with good intention) instructs her children, rewards or punishes them in the interest of Christian training, and says a prayer or performs a good work, she receives a remission of temporal punishment incurred by sin! Every time she does this! How many times a day do mothers guide, instruct and help their children in a single day? Through this Confraternity, mothers could work off all their purgatory time by simply doing what they would do anyway.

Mothers rule the world. They guide the destinies of the home and children. A mother’s influence is felt for all time and eternity. The world will never be better until mothers get closer to Jesus and Mary in their homes. God is relying on mothers to step up and keep Christ alive in the world by keeping Him alive in our hearts and homes. Through Mother Mary and her Confraternity, we can accomplish this? Are you ready to accept this challenge?