Sisterhood of the Holy Communion

The Sisterhood of the Holy Communion was an American religious order founded in 1845 by Anne Ayres, the first American Protestant religious to cofound a sisterhood within the Protestant Episcopal Church. This order was part of a broader revival of Anglican religious communities in the 19th century, inspired by the Oxford Movement, which emphasized the Catholic heritage of Anglicanism.12

The Sisterhood of the Holy Communion focused on a life of prayer and service, engaging in charitable work among the poor and operating a parish school and infirmary. Unlike traditional vows, the sisters made renewable pledges of service. The sisterhood, sometimes known as that of St. Luke and St. John, survived until 1940. This movement of establishing religious communities for women was significant as they had been suppressed during the Reformation.12