These Blind Nuns Have Been Helping the World for 90 Years

By Elisa Meyer --
26 Jul 2017 --

The Sacramentine Sisters of Don Orione was founded during the beginning of the 20th century.

The Sacramentine Sisters of Don Orione, a distinctive community of unsighted nuns consecrated towards the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will mark 90 years since their founding on August 15. The community was founded to provide something specific for the world's salvation: their blindness.

These Blind Nuns Have Been Helping the World for 90 Years[/tweetthis]

The Sacrementine Sisters of Don Orione is a branch of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity or LMSC as it is colloquially known. The LMSC, as per its constitution, has the mission to offer God all privation of sight. The latter is given to those who are unaware of the truth and should thus come to God, the light of the world.

Pope Francis is well aware of the Sacramentine Sisters of Don Orione. In his message to the Order, he said that the Sacramentine Sisters, along with other movements and institutes created by Don Orione, form a family. The pontiff encouraged the members to cooperate with everyone and pointed out that no person of the church truly walks alone. The pope asked them to nurture among themselves a family spirit, cooperation and the spirit of encounter.

The Sacramentine Sisters of Don Orione can be easily identified by their red scapular and white habit. They also have a white, embroidered host on the chest. When Saint Luigi Orione started the order in August 15, 1927, in Italy, he told the assembled audience, “I intend to offer with this new branch of the religious family, as a flower before the throne of the Blessed Virgin, so that she herself, with her blessed hands, offer it to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.” Other than this, the order wants support with the Eucharistic Adoration and the sacrifice of LMSC and Sons of Divine Providence’s apostolic action. Saint Luigi Orione founded both Eucharistic Adoration and Sons of Divine Providence. The congregation is an international one and can be found in Italy, Chile, the Philippines, Brazil, Kenya, and Argentina.

The Sacramentine Sisters of Don Orione have been working in Chile since 1943. The order has three sisters present in the South American country: Sister Maria Pia Urbina, Sister Maria Luz Ojeda, and Sister Elizabeth Sepulveda. All three attend computer classes so that they can bring before the Blessed Sacrament the multiple petitions which are sent by the faithful. These petitions are sent via their Facebook account. The order prays for every intention they get from the account.