Daughters of Charity

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The Daughters or Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul is a Roman Catholic congregation of women with simple vows, founded in 1633 and devoted to corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

[edit] Description

The full title of the congregation is the Sisters or Daughters of Charity (the founder preferred the latter term), Servants of the Sick Poor. The term “of St. Vincent de Paul” has been added to distinguish them form 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 Sisters” from the color of their habit, which is bluish grey.

The congregation was founded by Vincent de Paul, a French priest, and Louise de Marillac. The need of organization in work for the poor suggested to Vincent de Paul the forming of a confraternity among the people of his parish. It was so successful that it spread form 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. Vincent de Paul 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. On 29 November 1633, Louise de Marillac began a more systematic training of the girls in the care of the sick and in spiritual life. This is looked on as the real foundation of the community.

On the death of Louise de Marillac and Vincent de Paul there were, in 1660, more than forty houses of the Sisters of Charity in France, and the sick poor were cared for in their own dwellings in twenty-six parishes in Paris.

During the 19th century, the community spread to Austria, Portugal, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Ireland and North and South America. Currently, they number about 21,000 in 94 countries.

The mother house of the Daughters of Charity is located in Paris, France. Louise de Marillac lies preserved in the chapel of the mother house.