Evening star., 1939-10-07

Today. the Little Sisters of the Poor
operate in 26 countries. with a men,
bership of $500 sisters who feed
and clothe and nurse more than
$4,000 old men and women. In Amer
lea alone the order has 81 homes.
Are Qualified Nurses.
Not only do these gentle women
number charitable works among
their activities. but they come to
their task as full-fiedged nurses.
They are able to administer the
best of medical care to their charges
and their charges show the bene-
At of it, too. All any one has to do
Is visit the spic-and-span quarters
Of the Little Sisters of the Poor on
H street NE, lust the other side
Of the tracks," and the work shows
for itself.
No one can gain admittance into
that home until it is fully established
there is no one on earth-but the
Little Sisters Of the Poor-to care
for the seeker after shelter. Then,
when absolute dependence is proved.
the gates are opened-if there is
room. Trouble is, the place is some
times Allied to the brim.
Different sections of the old build
ing on H street are turned over to
the men and the women-the white
and the colored divided. They have
their own dormitories, reading and
recreation rooms and dining rooms.
The women have their sewing rooms
and the men have their smoking
rooms-and the Little Sisters see to
1t that their old men have plenty of
tobacco.
What do you want today, sister,"
downtown merchant asks.
Just few smokes for our old
men," the sister says, and gets pipe
tobacco and even cigars, on occasion.
Testimony to Faith.
In the annals of the Congregation
Of the Little Sisters of the Poor are
many true stories that attest to the
faith these religious women have in
their patron, st. Joseph. What
ever they want-for their poor old
men and women-he'll get for them,
they believe. And it has been proved
time without number.
Something about that simple
habit Of the Little Sisters-the black
dress, the kerchief and the bonnet
such as the Breton women wear
makes an instant appeal even to the
harHhAo rfaH. ht1f %hn~A
hardhearted, according to the
Little Sisters. Even when they are
rebuffed they depart with a smile
and prayer.
Once, the story goes, Little Sis
ter of the Poor ran into a real hard
boiled banker who laid her out. "
When he had finished, the Little
Sister said, Nov that you've given
me something for myself, how about
something for my poor old men and
women?"
The banker melted.
Aside from the driver who takes
the Sisters on their rounds In an
auto truck, as a-begging they 60, the
Little Sisters of the Poor have no
hired help. Whatever is to be done
they themselves do, with the help Of
the able-bodied oldsters, who are
treated more like children than aged
folk. At the Home, as they call it,
family life Is in reverse. The Little
Sisters, many Of them young girls,
are the spiritual mothers OF the old
men and women, who really enjoy
all the atmosphere of a nursery.
There are 13 Sisters who carry on
the work here, all working under the
direction Of Mother Celestine, the
superior. She says: God never
fails us. We obtain everything
through prayer and our great pro-
tector-St. Joseph"
Observances Scheduled.
The Tooth anniversary Of the
founding Of this famous order will
be observed here Monday, October
Is, with . mass 1T . o'clock In the
Shrine Of the Immaculate Concep-
ton at Catholic University, preceded
by a procession Of clergy and sisters.
On the next day mass will be cele-
brated at st. Aloysius Church at
$50 and on Wednesday mass win be
celebrated in the chapel Of the House
of the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Open house will take place at the
home for the aged on each OF the
foregoing days. The general public
will be taken on tours Of the home
under the guidance of Washington
General Assembly, Fourth Degree,
Knights ol columbuA