Mater Creatoris

Mother of the Creator

The Community of "Mater Creatoris", located in the center of Milan, next to the "Rinascente", began its life, as per the desire of Mother Maria Oliva, on 1 November 1948. The Pastor of the Diocese, Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster, was pleased to welcome the Daughters of the Church for Eucharistic adoration in St. Raphael which was already "diocesan Eucharistic Center", supported by a lay confraternity.

The Community, in the beginning of its foundation, also became a center of spiritual reference for the many sisters who were involved in propagation ministry, thus implementing the apostolic orientation of Mother Oliva: "The Daughters of the Church must be contemplative only to be more effectively and more fully apostles" (33 Foglietti, page 64).

The Sisters of the Community, with the ecclesial and liturgical passion that characterizes our Family, dedicated themselves from the beginning both to the animation of the Eucharistic Center and to the reception of the numerous "Jesus", i.e. the poor, deprived of any assistance in post-war times, "to offer them a warm soup, together with the warmth of a smile and a good word.

In subsequent years, the nearby Parish of St. Fedele made the request to provide various collaborations at the liturgical, catechetical level and as ministers of the Eucharist; there was also the inclusion in the school for teaching Catholic Religion.

From 1993 to 1997 the Eucharistic Center was closed for restoration and renovation works. It was reopened on 29 September 1997 with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini. In his homily he said: "This temple is dedicated to the centrality of the Eucharist as the center of the community and its mission, also the center of the city; place where, by entering into the mystery of God who became poor and humble in the Eucharist, we learn to meet man".

After reopening, for over ten years, the Community has dedicated itself to the liturgical animation of both the Eucharistic Celebration and the Adoration the Liturgy of the Hours, and weekly "lectio divina" to the laity.

Mother Maria Oliva, at the beginning of the foundation, had expressed the community's "mission" in these terms: Mater Creatoris helps us to create a model of union between the reviving and the "poor people". You know how bad it is! Christianity has become so impoverished that the poor are avoided. You must not have any rest if the meal for the pooris not organized well in your homes. 

Times have changed, so many are the poor: hungry for bread and hungry for God! The physiognomy of the city has changed, becoming a center of economy and fashion: a world that is always busy... and always dissatisfied. Immigrants from all over the world have changed the social fabric by introducing the novelty concerning their culture and religion. The fear of the "different" is very widespread, so to commit oneself, as individuals and communities, to fostering "relationships of solidarity and sharing" is a priority pastoral objective to which our Archbishop continues to exhort, as well as to the "evangelizing mission", to "renew the missionary impulse, starting from the Word of God".