CHARITY
605
CHARITY
and model schools belonging to the order. So rapid
an expansion early attracted the attention of foreign
bishops. Calls for brothers came from every quarter.
America, England, Holland, Ireland have in turn be-
come large and flourishing provinces. There are 3
houses in England, one in Ireland, and 2 in Holland.
The American province was founded in 1865 with the
arrival of 5 Belgian brothers in Montreal; the con-
gregation was incorporated in 1869 under the title
of: "Brothers of Charity of Vincent de Paul of
Montreal". The Brothers of Charity direct, among
other establishments, the Montreal Reformatory
School, and Protectory in the city of Montreal where
30 religious are stationed, and which contains 265 in-
mates and 27 boarders: the S. Benolt-Joseph Labre In-
sane Asylum and S. Philippe de Nori Retreat at Longue-
Pointe near Montreal with 25 religious. 8 novices, 7
postulants, 106 inmates; the Mont S. Bernard Com-
mercial and Scientific College at Sorel. P. Q., with 16
religious and 160 students: the S. Frederic Academic
School at Drummondsville, P. Q., and the House of
the Angel Guardian, orphanage and industrial insti-
tute, Boston, Massachusetts, with 25 religious and
317 pupils.
The novitiate for the American province is at the S. Benoit Asylum. Longue-Pointe, near Montreal. Canada. The Congregation is placed under the authority of a superior general, who is elected by the brothers from among themselves and who resides in Ghent, Belgium, the cradle of the congregation. He is assisted by a council composed of four members who constitute with him the central council of the congregation. Moreover, assistant visitors, a general secretary, and a general procurator are appointed to aid him in governing.
Brother Philemon.
Charity, Daughters ok. See Charity, Sisters
OF.
Charity, Irish Sistersof. See Aikenhead, Mary.
Charity, Sisters of.— The various sisterhoods in- cluded under this general title are treated of below under their respective names.
Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, a congregation of women with simple vows, founded in 1633 and devoted to corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Their full title is Sisters or Daughters of Charity (the founder preferred the latter term), Serv- ants of the Sick Poor. The term " of St. Vincent de Paul " has been added to distinguish them from several communities of Sisters of Charity, animated with a similar spirit, among whom they rank in priority of origin and greatness of numbers. They have always been popularly known in France as "the Grey Sis- ters" from the colour of their habit, which is bluish grey, but are nut to be confounded with the Grey Nuns, a community well known in Canada and New England. They are not infrequently called the Sis- ters of St. Vincent de Paul, though a recent French congregation having this saint for their patron, bears that name.
In the United States several diocesan communities who follow a modified form of the rule of the Sisters
1 inly of St. Vincent de Paul and wear a black habit, are often called the " Black Cap Sisters", while the "White Cap "or "Cornette" Sisters are those who follow the original rule and form part of the world- wide community under the direction of the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission, or Lazar- ists, in I'aris. These la Iter sisters were founded by St. \ incenl de Paul and the Venerable Louise de Menllac (15(11-1660), and the widow of Antoine Le Gras, known according to a quaint usage of the time as Mile Le (Iras. The need of organization in work for the poor suggest ed to St. Vincent the forming of a con- fraternity among the people of his parish. It was so
successful that it spread from the rural districts to
Paris, where noble ladies often found it hard to give
personal care to the wants of the poor. The majority
sent their servants to minister to those in need, but
often the work was slighted. St. Vincent remedied
this by inducing young women from the country
to go to Paris and devote themselves to the service of
the poor under the direction of the Ladies of Charity.
These young girls formed the nucleus of a very large
community of the Sisters of Charity now spread over
the world, and who have done so much to make the
name of St. Vincent de Paul a household word. Mile
Le < Iras, who had recently devoted herself at St. Vin-
cent's request to the superintendence of the various
confraternities of charity, had charge of these young
girls, who lodged at some convent or with the ladies
of the confraternity. They met on Sundays al St.
Vincent's house for instruction and encouragement.
But after three or
four years Mile Le
Gras received a
few of the most
promising of them
at her house, where.
on 29 Nov., 1633,
she began a more
systematic train-
ing in the care of
the sick and in
spiritual life. This
is looked on as the
real foundation of
the community.
This little snow-
ball, as St. Vin-
cent playfully
called it, was not
long in increasing,
and on 31 July,
1634, St. Vincent
initiated a series
of conferences, ex-
tending overt wen-
ty-five yea rs ,
which, written down by the sisters, have had ever since a powerful effect in their formation.
For more than twelve years St. Vincent guided them thus without written rule or constitution and without seeking approval of them as a distinct or- ganization. He let the work grow gradually as the needs of the times demanded, and little did he imagine the vast structure he was laving the foundation of. He used to explain that neither he nor Mile Le Gras was the founder of the Sisters of Charity, for neither he nor she had ever thought of founding such a com- munity. It sprang from the practical need for such an organization. When the idea developed it was at variance with the notions and customs of the limes. Hitherto women who publicly consecrated their lives to God's service did so in convents thai cut them off from the world, but his sisters were to spend their time nursing the sick in their homes having no mon- astery but the homes of the sirk. their cell a hired room, their chapel the parish church, their enclosure t lie Greets of the city or wards of the hospital, " hav- ing", as St. Vincent says in the rule he finally gave them, "no grate but the fear of God, no veil l>ut holy modesty". After a few months spent with the sis- ters in her house. Mil. Le Gras bound herself irrevoca- bly by vow to the work she had undertaken, 25 March, 1634. This anniversary is religiously kepi m the community, for even- year thi ki their
annual vows on the feast of the Annunciation. The sisters had hitherto helped the poor ami the sick in their homes, but they were now called on for hospital work. A society was formed by some ladies of rank to better the condition of the sick poor in the 11 til
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A Sister of Cha
(Cornpltol
