"I was sick and you visited me." -Mathew 25:36. With this gospel message, begins the life of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick.

The Sisters, Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, are a religious congregation founded in Madrid, Spain, in 1851 by Maria Soledad Torres Acosta — who was declared a saint by Pope Paul VI in 1970. From the Holy Spirit, Mother Soledad received the charism of compassionate care for the sick, poor and dying. Her main apostolate was meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of these suffering children of God by going to their homes and being by their bedsides.
"With their special
devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, they draw strength, courage and fortitude from her to continue at the foot of the cross caring for the sick and dying."
As Women Religious and nurses, they worked in Spain during cholera epidemics and wars, and later in Mexico during revolutions.

Today, they have 128 convents in 20 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia as well as North, Central and South America. They minister in six U.S. cities: Kansas City (click here to visit their site), New Orleans, New York City, Los Angeles, Oxnard and Newbury Park. 

Although the majority of their work continues to be in patients’ homes, they also work in hospices, orphanages,  hospitals, out-patient clinics, visiting nurse programs, dispensaries, skilled nursing facilities and homes for chronic and convalescent patients. They make no distinction between social status, race, religion or illness. They also serve as missionaries in Africa, South America and the Philippines.

More than 2,000 Sisters, who are contemplative in action, minister throughout the world. They have dedicated their lives to bringing love, compassion and peace to others. They aren’t only witnesses of Christ to societies, but also see Christ in the people they serve. The Sisters' Ministries is independent and receives no financial support from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Sisters do not receive monetary compensation for their services.