The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-26
ORDER FOUNDED IN BRITTANY
IT'S FIRST OBJECT Is THE CARE OF
AGED PERSONS.
Good Home Is Provided by the Little
Sisters of the Poor, and Their
Work Is Blessed.

unto you" There is one class of people who
honestly believe it and have sucn simple
child-like faith that a review of their
work is worthy of note. They are the Little
Sisters of the Poor, whose community in
Indianapolis is located at East and Yer
mont streets.
No doubt everyone has seen representa-
tives of the home on the market, dressed
in their white caps, asking aid of the own
ers Of the stands, or have watched them
on their daily tours of the city collecting
money and receiving help I'm various ways.
These sisters of charity are not to be con-
founded with the ordinary salms-seeker, for
their mission in life is as widely separated
from the one who begs from choice as the
east is from the west. 1t is not hard to
detect the difference, If you help one Of the
little sisters she only murmurs low thanks,
says a few words of prayer to St. Joseph
to bless the benevolent one and goes ner
way. If she is refused her demeanor is
benign. No hard feelings or ill will, only
the firm belief that aid will be forthcoming
In the year 1910 i'm Brittany, at st. Servan
by the seaside, where the people are of
that strong and pure religious faith that
dominated the Puritan fathers, the first
community of the Little Sisters of the Poor
was established. 1t had mcager beginning
and no attempt was made to keep the old
people all the time poor, belated trav-
eler having lost his way would be cared
for over night. wounded soldier would
find aid and nursing until he had been
cured. Six years later the idea of extending
the work asserted itself and other towns
founded homes. The cause grew and in
1863 the first home was established in the
United States in New York. By this time
the work had expanded greatly and thou
sands of old people were being looked after
in their declining years. At the present
time there are over 5000 homes in the world,
caring for more than 10000 old people. All
of the homes are run as one great family.
LIFE IN THE INSTITUTION.
OF the life in the institution, which is
one of the most prominent and most widely
felt in the Catholic Church, there is not
much to be said. An old person of either
sex may enter the home and if unable to
pay anything he is as well cared for as If
he paid large sum. Old age in the eyes
of the Little Sisters begins at sixty and
the inmates are kept from that time until
they die. There are no employees at the
home, the work all being done by the sis
the old boarders In the Indianapolis COM
munity there are fifteen sisters and
l35 old people, mostly men. Among
the old men and women are to be
found all types. Men now bent with
age and poverty who were at one time
prosperous and we'll known citizens. There
are DID, gray haired women once heads of
wealthy households but who through mis-
fortune. lost their all and are now depen-
dent upon charity.
And there could be no better place for
them to go than under the watchful eye
of the Little Sisters, ever watchful for their
good and happiness. The inmates of the
home are made as comfortable as can be
and in the heat of a summers day one
may see the old men seated at some win
dow where a cool breeze is blowing. ex-
changing "reminiscences of the days when
they played a part on the stage of life and
mingled in the affairs of men. The women
have a separate department but they, too,
enjoy themselves by knitting and sewing.
There are many instances known where in
mates of these institutions have refused to
leave even though homes OF wealth and
comfort awaited them in the outside world
While apparently leading secluded lives the
Little Sisters are exceedingly busy most
of the time. Persons passing the large
brick building surrounded by high board
fence early in the morning before the activ-
ity of the world has begun may hear their
prayers waited like good message on the
wind as if being carried to the throne of
the Ruler of the world. The day is spent
in looking after things about the home
and If il is time for the seeking of aims
the sisters must start on journey in
search of whatever kind of help is needed
AS in the days of old these little women
do not worry about the morrow but let it
take care of itself.
THE GOOD MOTHER.
At the head of each home is sister
called the good mother. who is the superior
and attends to the buying and other things.
There is also an assistant that aids the
good mother. However, in the actual work
of the institution there is no one above the
rest, all sharing alike in performing the
duties of the house. The local community
of Little Sisters of the Poor began in a
little frame house on Kentucky avenue just
below Washington street in 1873. After a
few years in this place the home was re-
moved to East street, where more adequate
accommodate lions were secured. When the
work was begun there were only six sisters
in the home and not many inmates. About
twenty years ago the present large and
commodious building was erected.
The Little Sisters are by tradition a
people dependent upon charity. and even
the smallest articles they are given
them. The sisters firmly believe in the
watchfulness of God over those in need, and
live simple, trusting lives in every detail.
Many no doubt wonder how the members
of this fraternity prepare for the work 1t
takes two years of preparation both in re-
ligious and professional experience to be-
come a member of the house. The candi-
date enters the novitiate, where she is
trained along the lines of nursing and
for the aged. These good women come from
all walks of life and from all quarters of
the globe. but all have that divine love and
charity in their hearts that has proved such
blessing to many aged people.
And so the work Of the Little Sisters of
the Poor goes on Charities may come and
do good and be forgotten; benevolent enter
prises may spring up and gladden. hearts.
but the institution founded so many years
ago In sunny France will not change, but
will continue TO live until the end OF time.
casting a halo of sunshine around the dark
ening shadows of the lives of thousands
Of old man nd vuornen xyho ha Wing IA