Servants of Christ the Light convent [Maronite]

About the Maronite Servants of Christ the Light

The Maronite Servants of Christ the Light (MSCL) are a congregation of consecrated religious sisters who serve the Maronite Catholic Church in the United States. According to the congregation's own website, they live 'a contemplative prayer life centered on the Eucharist and devoted to Mary' and serve alongside the priest in pastoral ministry with what Bishop Gregory J. Mansour calls 'a mother's touch, a woman's touch… life-giving for our families.' The community's mission is rooted in the New Evangelization, and sisters are formed for works of mercy in service to the Maronite Church, USA.

Charism, Spirituality, and Name

The congregation's charism, in the words of the community, is to 'radiate Christ the Light by offering the gift of their spiritual motherhood to nurture God's life in the hearts of children, families, and people of all ages through works of mercy.' Spirituality is Maronite, Syriac, and deeply Eucharistic and Marian, including periods of ascetic fasting. The three parts of the name carry distinct meaning: 'Maronite' identifies the Antiochene Syriac-rite Church they serve; 'Servants' echoes Mary's fiat at the Annunciation ('Behold the servant of the Lord'); and 'Christ the Light' is a preeminent image in Eastern, especially St. Ephrem the Syrian, spirituality.

• Charism: spiritual motherhood in imitation of Mary
• Spirituality: Maronite liturgical prayer, Eucharistic adoration, Marian devotion, asceticism/fasting
• Name meaning — Maronite (the Church) + Servants (Mary at the Annunciation) + Christ the Light (Ephremic image)
• Daily life includes Divine Liturgy (Qoorbono), Divine Praises (Maronite Office), Eucharistic Adoration, rosary, Scripture meditation, spiritual reading, silence, and recreation

Founding Story (2008)

The congregation was founded on June 1, 2008, by Sister Marla Marie Lucas in collaboration with Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn. Mother Marla Marie — then a 25-year member of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate — was directing religious education at a Maronite parish in Washington, D.C., when Bishop Mansour asked her to help found a Maronite women's religious community for the U.S. Church. After a period of prayer and canonical leave from her previous congregation, she accepted, and the Maronite Servants of Christ the Light was canonically begun ad experimentum in June 2008. It is the first Maronite women's congregation founded in the United States.

• Foundress: Mother Marla Marie (Lucas), MSCL
• Ecclesial sponsor: Bishop Gregory J. Mansour, Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn
• Date of canonical founding: June 1, 2008
• Historical first: first Maronite women's religious congregation in the U.S. (and outside Lebanon/Syria)

Apostolic Service & Ministries

The sisters serve in parishes throughout the Eparchy of Saint Maron in a wide range of pastoral roles. According to the community's official About page, their ministries address the pastoral needs of their communities in eight listed areas, from prayer and penance to spiritual pilgrimages. They regularly run children's and adult retreats, days of recollection, parish missions, catechetical programs, Maronite Heritage Days, and youth/young-adult gatherings, while also visiting the sick, the dying, and the grieving in a spirit of accompaniment.

• Prayer and Penance for our people
• Religious Education & Formation
• Spiritual Direction, Retreats, and Conferences
• Vocation Awareness and Promotion
• Youth & Young Adult Ministry (Eparchy-wide)
• Spiritual Support for Marriage and Family
• Visiting the Sick, the Dying, the Grieving
• Spiritual Pilgrimages

Vocations & Formation

The congregation welcomes inquiries from single Catholic women (typically ages 22–40, exceptions considered) who feel called to a Maronite consecrated life. Discernment begins with a 'Come and See' followed by postulancy, novitiate, and profession of vows. The sisters offer formation through prayer, study, and pastoral service in a balanced rhythm of community life. Vocations inquiries are handled by Sister Therese Maria.

• Contact for discernment: Sr. Therese Maria, 509-965-6945, [email protected]
• Ages 22–40 (exceptions considered); must be a practicing Catholic for at least 4 years
• Willingness to transfer to the Maronite Rite if not already Maronite
• Undergraduate degree (BA/BS) required; aptitude for graduate studies expected
• Postulancy (e.g., 2010 for Sr. Therese Maria), first vows (e.g., 2012), final vows (e.g., 2017 for Sr. Therese Maria)

Members & Leadership

The community is led by its foundress, Mother Marla Marie, MSCL, who serves as Mother Servant. Public vocation testimonies on the website identify two professed sisters by name in addition to the Mother Servant, and sisters have come from both the United States and Australia. Sister Therese Maria also serves as Director for Youth & Young Adults for the Eparchy of Saint Maron.

• Mother Marla Marie (Lucas), MSCL — Foundress, Mother Servant
• Sister Therese Maria (Touma), MSCL — Vocations; Director of Youth & Young Adults, Eparchy of Saint Maron (from Australia)
• Sister Emily Mary, MSCL — entered postulancy 2019; UMass Boston graduate (Political Science & Psychology, Philosophy minor)

Mother of the Light Convent (North Dartmouth, MA)

The community's U.S. motherhouse is the Mary, Mother of the Light Convent, located at 856 Tucker Road in North Dartmouth (Dartmouth), Massachusetts, ZIP 02747. It serves as the sisters' home, the venue for their public prayer gatherings, and the contact address for the congregation. The convent's telephone line is (508) 996-1753.

• Address: 856 Tucker Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747
• Phone: (508) 996-1753
• Email: [email protected]
• Hosts the monthly Ramsho (evening prayer) and supper
• Hosts a weekly Thursday Qoorbono (Divine Liturgy) — call ahead

Prayer Schedule & Public Liturgies

Because this is a convent rather than a parish church, public liturgies are limited but offered on a regular rhythm. Friends of the community and prospective visitors are welcomed, typically with a phone call in advance.

• Thursday Qoorbono (Maronite Divine Liturgy) — 9:30 AM at the Mother of the Light Convent (call the day before)
• Monthly Ramsho (Maronite Evening Prayer) and community supper — 2nd Sunday of each month, 5:00 PM (RSVP by the preceding Wednesday)
• Annual Benefit Gala (ticketed fundraiser)

News, Events & Outreach

The congregation maintains an active blog ('Radiate His Light') and a News & Events page, and is featured in Catholic media including EWTN (with Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ) and Aleteia (July 2016 feature, 'A Light from the East Grows in Massachusetts'). Bishop Mansour has called the sisters' presence a vital 'feminine touch' in Maronite parish life. The community also hosts an annual benefit event to support the congregation's mission.

• EWTN feature: Mother Marla Marie interviewed by Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ
• Aleteia feature, July 2016 — 'A Light from the East Grows in Massachusetts'
• EWTN News profile on Mother Marla Marie's vocation journey from The Washington Post to the Maronite convent
• Annual Benefit (e.g., '2nd Annual Benefit' advertised on home page)

Contact

General inquiries are directed to Mother Marla Marie at the Mother of the Light Convent; vocation inquiries go to Sister Therese Maria. The congregation can also be followed on social media.

• General: [email protected] — (508) 996-1753
• Vocations: [email protected] — Sr. Therese Maria, (509) 965-6945
• Facebook: @MaroniteServants
• Instagram: Maronite Servants of Christ the Light
• Diocesan listing: Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, Institutions & Monasteries