The Irish standard., 1891-11-14
GOOD DEEDS Of CHARITY 7.
How the. Little Sisters ot the Poor
Perfor Theis Noble
Work.
HISTORY OF THEIR ORDER.
It Was Founded in Brittany, France,
.ss Less than Fifty Years
81 ss.. Ago.

v LQo LlCLl0 Sl6I0EB OF Inc 1ODT uaVs
spread far and wide, carrying with them
their bright simplicity and chlldlike
trustin God, Yelling their heroic sacri.
flee under the joyous spirit that charac.
terizes them, one aud ALI. Like many
! of Hod's noblest works, the congrega.
tion, began in obscnri.y$4 and poverty
/ Just fifty years ago. It's founders were
4 five in number. servant, Jeanne Ju'
gan; an infirm old woman anchor
Aubert; two poor girls, virginie Tre-
daniel and Catherine janet, and a Bre.
ton priest, as poor as the resi-, the Abbe
le Paiileur.
These FIVE, bound together by an ar
dent love OF God and a tender compass
sion for His suffering poor. began by
giving a home to the most, lonely and
miserable old people of their native
town or St. Servan. No ,dleams of
founding a new congregation, of ad
ding another flower to the fair crown
of charity that adorns the brow Of their
mother church eyer came across these
simple souls They merely wished to
do all the good that lay in their power;
and ae one pit1able case after another
came to their jsnowlege, they opened
wide the doors OF their humble dwelling.
1t was no slight matter to provide for
their helpless charges, While The TWO
young girls took in needlework. Fanch-
on Aubert swepGSand cleaned the house;
Jeanne Jugan went out begging from
the rich to feed the poor; and the Abbs
10 Pailleur. for their benefit. sold first
his geld watch, and thsH1tlks silver cha
lice used at his first mass. s.
1t Was he who BY degrees dreW out
the plan OF the future organization.
lie began by deciding that the sisters,
vino till then had admitted cgippled
children and old people indiscriminate
ly, should confne themselves to the
latter; for, he thought with reason that
their sphere OF action being limited to
{. certain category of sufferers, their IF.
fcrts would necessarily be more efica-
cious and their work more solid. 1> s
From St. Ssryan the little congrega
tion extended sto Rennes. where its first
home was kind OF shed, situated in
the WORST quarter Of the town; but
where, In spite Of it's miserable appear
ance, numbers of old people eagerly
sought admiGtance. Aims soon flowed
I'D, and q new house was hired ina
more respectable part of Rennes.a But
the sisters had gained the esteem OF
tfeEr neighbors; and when they began
10 move, the drunkards and idlers Of
the quarter insisted upon carving on
their shoulders the beds, furniture, kit
chen utensils and even the crippled in
mates OF the house. I Before bidding
adieu to the nuns, more than Que o.
ihese volunteers slipped into their
hands the peanaes they intended TO
spend at the neigh hboring public house.
From their native Brittany the Little
Sisters OF the Poor extended their work
far and wide. Their frst housein Paris
was established in 1849, and at the pres
ent moment they possess insthat city
alone 1--WE houses. where over l2CO old
people are received and cared for La
these houses, as in all the es tablish-
ments OF the congregation scattered
throughout the world, certain traits re-
main the same. The superioress is
called Ia bonna Mere. Except this
loving appellation, nothing distinguish
es her from the rest OF the sisters,
whose severe life she shares in all It's
datalls. 4.
That the rule of life is hard and try
ing none can deny. and it has been often
noticed that the Little Sisters are gen
erallv young; few among them live to
reach old age. In contrast with their
laborious and often repugnant tasks.
are the ioyousness, simplici. y and child
like gayeiy that characterize them. ore
and all. Ia their daily begging rounds,
when they sometimes have to walk for
hours i'll crowded streets or along lonely
country roads, in sun and heat; Ia their
daily and nIghtlY attendance upon their
lpless charges; in their constant eff
Forts to amuse and cheer those who
have become children once more, they
are ever the same brave and bIi xht,5
sweet and tender.
The government ti,l D the. old
people have ta snbtlnlt is MOI 40 the
extreme some etiInes aa apfens that
sfle non old