Enriching current and emerging Associate leaders in Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania
Lay Associates -Living out the Christian way of life
2024 OPAL Member Directory
2024 OPAL Conference Registration
Our Vision:
Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, women and men gather to share prayer, ideas, resources and challenges as we move into new ways of being - new ways of ministering.
OPAL stands ready to support Associate leadership in carrying forward the charism and mission of religious congregations.
OPAL Members
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Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Charity
We are a community rooted in the Gospel and gifted with the charism of Francis and Clare. Transformed by God’s love and guided by the Spirit, we continue the mission of Jesus wherever we serve, adhering to the words which inspired Mother Francis and Father Bihn: “…whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did to me.” (Matthew 25:40) Engaged in the struggle for peace and justice, we speak the truth with courage. Cherishing all peoples and all creation as brother and sister, we live in a spirit of hospitality, simplicity and joy, celebrating our dependence on God, who is ever “our Refuge and Strength.” (Ps. 46:2)
To learn more about The St. Francis of Penance and Charity Community
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Lay Spiritans
Spiritans are committed to respectful evangelization. Through education and community service, we endeavor to help the oppressed and disadvantaged overcome the problems that make each day a struggle. From our witness and service, we hope to introduce people to the Holy Gospel and God’s love for them.
To learn more: Lay Spiritan Associates
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Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown
We’re Catholic nuns responding together to the needs of God’s people in northeast Ohio. We’ve done so since 1874, adapting our ministries to meet the needs of the times. We’re committed to bringing our spirit, vision, and presence to northeast Ohio for generations to come!
To learn more: Ursuline Sisters Associates
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Pittsburgh Passionists
Faithful to the charism of St. Paul of the Cross, the Mission of the Passionists is to keep alive in the world the love of Jesus Crucified as seen in His Sacred Passion.
This mission is rooted in prayerful community life and is expressed in collaborative ministry to the people of God in all walks of life especially to the poor and suffering.
To learn more: Pittsburgh Passionates Associates
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Dominican Sisters of Peace
Our mission is to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus, leading others to Christ. Our hope is to make the world a place that is more accepting and less violent; more welcoming of others and less alienating; more respectful of our planet and less consuming of Earth’s resources.
To learn more: Dominican Sisters of Peace Associates
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Sisters of Divine Providence
We, the Congregation of Divine Providence, impelled by the Spirit of Jesus, commit ourselves to co-create a world of compassion, justice and peace. Guided by the legacy of Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler and Marie de la Roche, we nurture in ourselves and in others a trust and confidence in God’s faithful presence. We further commit ourselves to making God’s providence more visible in our world.
To learn more: Sisters of Divine Providence Associates
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Sisters of Humility of Mary
As Sisters of the Humility of Mary, we share Jesus’ mission of bringing more abundant life to God’s people, especially the poor, by responding to the needs of the times.
To learn more: Sisters of Humility of Mary Associates
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Sisters of Notre Dame
A Catholic congregation of women religious, the Sisters of Notre Dame of the United States are united in one heart, one hope, and one mission to proclaim God’s goodness and compassionate love for people of all faiths and cultures through a variety of ministries, both national and international, particularly serving those who are poor and marginalized.
To learn more: Sisters of Notre Dame Associates
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Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament
We are called by our loving God to be the Incarnate Word, Jesus, in the world today. Our gift in and for the Church is “to be an extension of the Incarnation.”
To learn more: Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Associates
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Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
We are Sisters, associates and volunteers, impelled by the love of Christ, promoting the dignity and equality of women and the oppressed in Church and society.
To learn more: Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Associates
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Felician Sisters of North America
As Felician Sisters, called by God, we cooperate with Christ in the spiritual renewal of the world.
To learn more: Felician Sisters Associates
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Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine
We participate in the mission of the Church by living out the charism of Charity in our life of apostolic service. In our openness to the needs of others and in our willing response, we attempt to reflect as a Congregation a unity of purpose achieved through our ministries of health care, social service and education. We strive to witness to the final completion of the Kingdom of Love.
To learn more: Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine
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Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwest Pennsylvania
The mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, its agregees and associates, is to unite all people with one another and with God by responding to the ever-changing needs of the world and serving the neighbor without distinction.
To learn more: Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwest Pennsylvania Associates
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Sisters, Servants of Immaculate Heart of Mary
The spirit of the IHM congregation is, in the tradition of St. Alphonsus Liguori, the spirit of Jesus Christ the Redeemer. The essence of Redemptorist spirituality is rooted in the self-emptying of Jesus Christ and it is this spirit which impels the sisters to offer themselves in joyful self-giving to God by their transformation into Christ and their incorporation into his redeeming mission through the Church.
True to the apostolic and missionary spirt of St. Alphonsus, the IHM spirit manifests itself in simplicity of lifestyle, dedication to the abandoned poor, fidelity to mission, and a welcoming hospitality to all God’s people.
To learn more: IHM Associates