OFFICIAL NAME
Hogar de la Madre de todos los hombres, Madre de la juventud
ACRONYM
HM
ALSO KNOWN AS
Home of the Mother
ESTABLISHED
1982
HISTORY
Home of the Mother was initiated by Rev. Rafael Alonso (1947-) in Spain. From the outset of his priestly life he was involved in working with young people. He celebrated Mass every morning with a group of students, and he inspired their desire to aim for holiness by responding to God’s will and through a vocation to apostolate. On 29 July 1982 a group of young women went on pilgrimage to Rome. Six of them made commitments to Christian life at Saint Peter’s tomb as a sign of fidelity to the Church. This marked the beginning of HMY (Home of the Mother – Youth). On 27 December 1983 (the Holy Year of the Redemption) nine young men undertook the same pilgrimage and made their commitments, thus initiating the men’s branch of the HMY. In 1984, the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother was founded for women called to consecrated life, and in 1990, the Servant Brothers of the Home of the Mother was initiated for priests dedicated to the mission of the HM. Both institutes were recognised separately as public associations of the faithful in the diocese of Cuenca in 1994. On 25 December 1995, the first nucleus of Lay Members of the Home of the Mother (LHM) was instituted. These were people who wished to live according to the HM mission within their families. On 3 June 2010, the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed recognition of Home of the Mother as an international association of the faithful.
IDENTITY
According to the statutes of the Association, HM is “a gift that the Lord wishes to give to his Mother”. It is a spiritual family of Eucharistic adoration where each one desires to belong totally, solely and forever to God and to Mary. Every HM member’s soul should be a sanctuary exclusively for God in which a covenant is made with the Lord and with Mary. The ultimate aim of HM is the holiness of its members for the glory of God, under the maternal protection of Mary. It was born within the Church in order to be at the service of the Church.
The association gives special attention to the fostering of worship and adoration of the Eucharist and to encouragement of Marian life in the Church. Its members dedicate themselves to the apostolate with young people by organising summer camps, pilgrimages, retreats and spiritual exercises. A feature of the apostolate of the movement is the use of media to spread the Gospel and the truths of faith.
ORGANISATION
The Association has a president assisted by the Council of the Association. The Council plans apostolic activities, creates new activities and manages the running of HM. It is composed of the general secretary, the general administrator, the presidents of the two public associations of the faithful and by two of the lay faithful. They meet twice a year.
The HM is a spiritual family in which all the members share the same charism according to each one’s life status.
The lay faithful form two branches: Lay Members of the Home of the Mother (LHM) composed of lay people over 25 years of age, married and single; and Home of the Mother Youth (HMY) with young people between the ages of 18 and 25.
The members of the public association of the faithful Servant Brothers of the Home of the Mother and those of the public association of the faithful Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, live according to their respective statutes in consecrated life and form part of the Home of the Mother international association of the faithful.
PUBLICATIONS
Hogar de la Madre, bimonthly (in Spanish, English and Italian)
HM Zoom plus, bimonthly magazine for children (in Spanish, English and Italian)
WEBSITE
HEADQUARTERS
Hogar de la Madre
Via del Mascherone, 61, 00186 – Roma
Tel.: (+39) 0645449932
E-mail: romashm@hogardelamadre.org
