Have you ever spotted women on campus wearing grey jackets with the word “Zion” emblazoned on the back? Chances are that those women are members of Daughters of Zion, a large and vibrant women’s household.

Intent period is now closed, but for those still curious about this growing household, here is a closer look inside their charisms and covenant.   

The Daughters of Zion covenant begins with a Scripture passage, Isaiah 61:1-3. This passage proclaims: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted.” Many elements of this verse—the power of the Holy Spirit, reaching out and healing others—are core to the mission of Daughters of Zion. 

Maria Pfeifer, who has been a member of Daughters of Zion for two years, explained that household sisters strive for profound healing that flows from union with Christ. She shared, “the point is to unite with Christ, to unite our sufferings with him for our healing, and to then be vessels of healing for others.” 

Daughters of Zion’s covenant reflects this process of healing. Pfeifer said that the covenant’s five pillars of trust, abandon, praise, open and heal are all essential to the journey towards union with Christ. According to Pfeifer, the pillars “all progress towards healing because, as Daughters of Zion, we’re looking ahead toward the heavenly Jerusalem, where all our needs will be met.” 

Throughout that pursuit of the heavenly Jerusalem, Daughters of Zion follow the examples of the household’s patron saints: St. Faustina, St. Bernadette, St. Joseph, and Mary, under the title of Our Lady First Daughter of Zion. Additionally, sisters participate in commitments that help them deepen their faith and healing. 

A commitment unique to Daughters of Zion is their rotating Wednesday commitment. On first and third Wednesdays of the month, sisters gather to sing the Divine Mercy Chaplet and reflect on the Diary of St. Faustina. On second Wednesdays, they pray a Holy Hour together, with the first half incorporating praise and worship music and the second half of the hour set aside for silent reflection. 

Finally, on fourth Wednesdays, sisters participate in a commitment called “empowered prayer.” Pfeifer explained that during this commitment, sisters go out into the campus community to ask individual people about their needs and pray with them. This commitment Daughters of Zion’s mission to extend the gift of healing to others. 

Through praying with the community and living out their covenant, Daughters of Zion household witnesses to the healing power of Christ on Franciscan’s campus and beyond.