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he conceived the idea of establishing a society, the members of
which would devote themselves to the procuring of spiritual
aid for the sick and dying. At that time, a number of war
orphans were sheltered in Saint Eutropia s, but the accomodation
for them being insufficient, they were removed elsewhere.
Regarding this as designed by Providence, Dom Leduc establish
ed in the home a small band of Franciscan nuns whom he
brought from Cholet. On February 10th 1872, Mgr. Freppel
formally installed the Sisters in their new home under the
name of Servantes des Pauvres. Such was the first germ of the
future Institute which later on at les Plaines de Saint-Leonard
was raised to a regular Congregation, having as its title the
Religieuses Oblates^de Saint Benoit. The new Congregation
chose as Patroness, Saint Frances of Rome.
We shall not follow Dom Leduc in his anxious care and the
labours and fatigue which he endured in the forming and the
developing of his new religious family. We shall only say
that, in this task, he imposed upon himself a heavy burthen,
being at once, Founder, Catechist, Master of Novices, Chaplain
and Director general, and all this without interrupting his
weekly lectures in Canon Law at Solesmes, nor the various
books which he wrote during this time for the benefit of his
institute, amongst them being the present work on the Li
turgy.
In 1886, he again visited Rome for the purpose of submitting,
in person, the constitutions of the new Institute for the approval
of the Pope. He left Rome on July 16 1887, with a laudatory
Brief of His Holiness, Leo XIII and the provisional appro
bation of his Constitutions.
The last years of Dom Leduc s life were filled with much
suffering. In 1888 he became blind, and in 1895 he was stricken
with paralysis. In all his sufferings he was tenderly cared for
by the Servantes des Pauvres whom he greatly edified by his
resignation, his patience, his spirit of prayer, of humility,
obedience and charity. On November 27, 1895, he gently
fell asleep in the peace of the Lord.