When

March 10. 2013
(St. Louise de Marillac ... from p.4)
encouraged and attracted others to
enroll as candidates in her centers.
When Rome gave their formal approval
in 1655 they placed their community
under Vincent and his Congregation
of the Mission with Louise as
superior.
Through the indefatigable work of
Louise who traveled all over France
establishing her Sisters in hospitals,
orphanages and other institutions the
numbers and works of the Daughters
expanded quickly going beyond the
borders of France.
The distinctive blue-gray habits
and white linen headdresses copied
from the peasant women in the Isle de
France of the Sisters of Charity were
seen everywhere "administering hospitals,
orphanages and schools for the
poor as well as ministering to prisoners
and galley slaves and visiting the
poor in their squalid hovels." In that
first year alone 760 women converted
from Lutheranism and Calvinism to
join them!
If you think all Louise did was to
direct, you're wrong. She herself per-
sonally cared for the victims of the
plague during an epidemic in Paris.
She remained for the rest of her
life not only a hard working but valiant
and inspired leader. She truly followed
her own Rule to the Sisters that they be
"diligent in serving the poor. .. to love
the poor, honor them .... As you would
honor Christ Himself."
Fearful that in time her Sisters
would lose touch with the radical spirit
of service in the world and become "institutionalized"
she constantly reminded
them that they would encounter the
face of Christ in the poor who were to
be their masters. If needed, they were
to leave their prayers and tend to them
going as it were "from God to God."
Some of the Sisters even went over
to Poland at the request of the Polish
Queen who was a former Lady of Charity
herself. There they helped ease the
suffering of the wounded soldiers that
they came to be known as the "Angels
ofthe Battlefield."
When she died in Paris on March
15, 1660 followed six months later by
St. Vincent the congregation had more
than forty houses in France alone. Today
these "Butterfly Sisters (so-called
because of their distinctive headdress)
are spread all over the world including
the Philippines. It has become the largest
religious order in the world! Not
only that - it has also inspired a large
number of Congregations modeled after
them.
Louise was canonized by Pope
Pius XI in 1934. She was declared by
Pope John XXIII in 10 February 1960
to be the patroness of social workers.
Kathleen Jones, author of "Women
Saints" wrote, "Vincent's reputation
made the work possible, but it was
Louise's sheer competence in organization
and training her young women that
made the movement a success."
SOURCESojREFERENCE
Butler s Lives of the Saints - Vol. I
pp 598 - 601
The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of
Saints p 195
Pocket Dictionary of Saints -
pp 336 - 337
All Saints - pp 118 - 120
Butler s Saint for the Day -
pp. 120 -121
and others
7
Notice from the
Family Life Ministry
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The Family Life ministry is encouraging
parents with their children
to attend its 'anti-bully' lecture on Saturday
March 16,2013 from 10:00AM
=- 12NN. This will be held at the parish
conference rooms.
Please sign up at the guard desk.
The talk will enable participants to learn
how to identify the signs of bullying
and prevent behavioral problems.
, ' .~
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An ONGOING NEWSPAPER DRIVE
for our SSAP JPIC Scholars
.:.Old newspapers
.:.White printed papers
.:.Telephone directories
.:. Used toilet paper rolls
.:.Old magazines
.:.Old cartons
.:.Other scratch papers
DROP OFF POINT.
Container Van at the back of
Convento Garden-Parking
Area. Thank You!
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