The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-07-26
Dickens Tribute to
the Little Sisters
Of the Poor

| (Charles Dickens, unable to escape
the anti Catholic atmosphere of the
first half of the nineteenth century,
often spoke and wrote things that
were calumnious of the old faith Of
England. The centenary of his birth
| has been celebrated this year, and
Catholics will think more kindly of
| the great English writer as they read
the following tribute from his pen to
the Little Sisters of the Poor. 1t was
published in his paper, Household
Word, on February Il. 1922
Almsgiving takes the place of our
| workhouse system in the economy
! of a large part of Europe. The giving
of aims to the helpless is, moreover,
| in Catholic countries. religious Of
| flee. The voluntary surrender of
gifts, each according to his ability as
means of grace is more prominent
| ly insisted on than among Protest.
ants, consequently systematic taxation
for the poor is not resorted to. Nor
is there so great necessity for it
as in this country, for few nations
have so many paupers to provide for
as we English, who are accustomed
to regard them as a natural element
, in our society. And thus it happens
that when, about ten years ago, there
pital for the aged and ailing poor, the
| want of institutions for the infirm but
healthy was not so severe as to at
tract the public eye.
But there was at that time poor
servant woman, native of the viii
lage of La Croix, in Brittany-Jeanne
Jugan was her name-who was moved
by her gentlencss of heart, and fervor
of her religion, to pity certain in
J firm and destitute neighbor, to take
her to her side as a companion, and
to devote herself to her support. 9th
lessness claim upon her attention.
She went about begging when she
could not work, that she might pre-
serve life as long as Nature would
grant it, to her infirm charges.
| Her example spread a desire for the
performance of similar good Offices.
+, Two pious women, her neighbors,
united with Jeanne in her pious work.
| These women cherished, as they were
able, aged and infirm paupers, nursed
them in a little house and begged for
them in the vicinity. The three wom-
en- who had SO devoted themselves,
attracted notice. and were. presently
received into the Order of Charity, in
which they took for themselves the
name of Little Sisters of the Poor
I (Petites Soeurs les Pauvres).
The first house of the Little Sisters
of the Poor was opened at Saint-Serv-
an in Brittany. A healthy flower
scatters seed around. We saw that
forcibly illustrated in the progress
from an origin equally humble Of the
Rauhe Haus, near Hamburg; we see
it now again in the efforts OF the Lit.
tie Sisters. which flourished anC
; fructitied with prompt usefulness. Or
the tenth anniversary of the establish.
of int to,, i1o,
houses had been founded in ten diff.
: ferent French towns.
The Petites Soeurs now keep thei1
charges in the most frugal way upo1
the scraps and waste meat which they
can collect from the surrounding
houses. The voluntary contribution!
by which they support their institu
lions are truly the crumbs falling from
the rich mans table. The nurse fare
no better than the objects of her care
She lives upon equal terms with Lac
arus. and acts toward him in TIL
spirit Of a younger sister.
The establishment at Oman, owe
which Jeanne Jugan herself presided
being under repair, and not quite fl
for the reception of visitors, we will
go over to the Sisters house at Paris
which is conducted on exactly tn
same plan.
r We are ushered into small parlo
scantily furnished, with some Scrip
turc prints on the walls. A Sister en-
=, ters to us with bright look of cheer
fulness. such as faces wear whel
q hearts beneath them feel that they ar
+. beating to some purpose the world
She accedes gladly to our desire an
at once leads US into another room G
h larger size in which twenty or thirt
n old women are at this moment finish
a ing their dinner 1t being Friday, ric
: stands on the table in place of mea