Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1908-12-19
Subsist and Provide For Their
Charges by Begging
Alone.
Have Built Splendid Home
For the Aged Poor
of City.
THEIR ORDER is COSMOPOLITAN

early forty years ago the Little
Sisters of the Poor made their first
entry into Louisville. At that time
their good work was little known in
Kentucky. They secured small quar-
ters at first, and later got possession
of an old home at Tenth and Maya
zine streets. Today the plot of
ground, which includes half a block,
is filled with modern buildings and
nearly 400 aged men and women,
black and white, are being cared for
by the Little Sisters, an order which
had its origin in France. The char
liable people of Louisville should
not forget the Little Sisters at this
glad season of the year.
The Little Sisters of the Poor
unite the life of hospitality to the
religious life. They are a congre-
cation or confraternity, consecrated
by vow, to the care of the poor and
infirm aged of both sexes. Their life,
their work, has but one aim-the
their poor, old people. People must
be old, over sixty, and poor, to be
received into their homes. There
are no privileged old persons in these
inspiration; all are without neces-
sary means of livelihood, all have
the same dietary. This is true of
the inmates, it is true of the Little
Sisters themselves. Each Sister has
equal title, equal rights, equal duties.
The Superior of each house is
styled Good Mother. She decides as
to reception or rejection of the aged.
She manages the resources and Is
answerable for the faithful exercise
of hospitality. The rules of the con-
gregation are sufficient for the main
tenance of order and regularity.
Kindness does the rest 1t is the
reign of charity, at once strong and
motherly.
The Little Sisters of the Poor are
recruited from every social condition.
All are recognized by their devoted
ness, their piety, the love of God and
his poor. District novitiates are tstab-
lished in the United States, Belgium,
Italy, Spain. All the nations send
their quotas to fill the ranks of these
devoted ladies. France, Spain, Italy,
are generous in their levies, while
the English speaking countries, the
United States, Ireland. England and
Australia, send their daughters.
Charity binds, making of all nations
one religious family. All bear the
same name, wear the same habit,
obey the same rule. The care of
the aged. the distressed, the poor
and the infirm is the one common
life work of the members. Their
charges receive the most devoted
care. They are supported at no cost
to themselves. Hospitality succors
them in their infirmities and sick
nesses. Should death ensue, their
last sigh is received with piety and
they are consigned to the grave with
reverence and respect.
The Little Sisters of the Poor have
several institutions in this country.
In the world these 'homes" number
304. They shelter from fifty to 400
people I'm each institution. The av-
erage life of an inmate is about five
years, some for longer periods, some
for shorter. In the fifty-eight years
of their existence the Little Sisters
of the Poor have provided homes for
2S3,242 aged poor.
How is this accomplished? BY
soliciting aims. In plain English, by
begging. They will accept no endow-
ments, have no fixed revenues. Beg
ging is the only visible means of
subsistence. The providence of God
is the invisible means. Daily they
raise their humble cry to God: "Give
us this day our daily bread" Daily
their Heavenly Father gives them
what is needful, and in their
numerous homes fully 10000 in
mates are fed daily. This has been
the unbroken record for more than
fifty years of the congregation exist
ence. Their work arrests and retains
the sympathy of the multitude. so
charitable, so disinterested. Who
could resist their appeal? Who re-
fuse them?
The advent of a home of the Little
Sisters of the Poor has always been
fiatteringly welcomed. On their first
establishment in this Western world
the New York Legislature, sitting in
Albany, appropriated $4,000 for the
erection of a home" in Brooklyn
The Congress of the United States.
in session at the nations capital,
voted them $4,000 for the enlarg-
ment of their Washington home. The
social side of the work destroys
bigotry, silences prejudices. makes
of all classes friends.
The Little Sisters of the Poor
make use of anything and every
thing. They possess an ingenuity
that nothing can balk. The old peo-
pie cooperate. Many have been, in
their day, expert in some line of
frl
trades in youth, and regardless of
their infirmities they are still proud
to carry them on. Some have been
cabinet makers. tailors, shoemakers.
llocksmiths, painters, etc; some have
been farmers and gardeners. Among
the women will be found seam
stresses, tailoresses. All are glad.
yes, eager to be of service. to do