LSAFHS | History

When the delayed passengers of the French steamship La Bourgogne, which arrived late Saturday night, were landed at the French wharf at the foot of Morton street late last night, a noble band of six little women dressed in the garb of Sisters of Charity was among them.
   These six women come here on a mission of humanity. They are going to nurse the afflicted poor of the city, without regard to creed or nationality or color. They will receive not a cent of renumeration for their work in behalf of suffering humanity. The women belong to the Catholic sisterhood known as the Little Sisters of the Assumption.
When Archbishop Corrigan was in Paris a year ago he cordially invited the good Sisters to come here to carry on their work among the sick and distressed of our poor who are unable to pay for assistance.
   The noble work of the Little Sisters of the Assumption is well known in Paris and other cities on the Continent and in England. Father Pernel, a member of the Augustine Fathers of the Assumption founded the sisterhood in Paris about thirty years ago. The object of the good priest was to organize a band of self-sacrificing women who would be able to endure hardships and privation in order to devote all their time to the nursing of the poor.
A number of very wealthy French ladies joined the Order early in its history. They gave up their social position, left behind all their wealth and the luxuries it could buy and devoted themselves unceasingly to carrying out the aims and purposes of the new Order.
   One of the first rules of the Order was that no member could accept any renumeration for her labors. This rule has been zealously adhered to. The Sisters become the servants of the poor family in which there is sickness, do the housework and look after the children of the unfortunate ones among whom they are thrown. They will visit no person who is able to pay for assistance. The Sisters have fifteen houses in France and two in London. These houses are solely for the use of the Sisters, and no sick people are cared for there.
The six Sisters who arrived yesterday are under the charge of Sister Marie du Christ. She will be at the head of the Order in this city. Sister Marie du Christ is said to have once been a prominent society lady of this city, but those instrumental in bringing her have declined to say what her name is in the world. Her companions are Sister Marie Alexandre, Sister Marie Euphrasie, Sister Marie Anne, Sister Marie Latetia and Sister Marie Bernadine.
The following ladies have constituted themselves a committee for the purpose of assisting the good Sisters in the labors among the poor: Mrs. Lindley H Chapin, Mme. De Coumont, Mrs. Brockholst Cutting, Mrs. F. E. Gilbert, Miss Hamilton. Mrs. Adrian Iselin, Jr., Mrs. Eugene Kelly, Mrs. Keyes, Miss Leary, Mrs. Louis Livingston, Miss Carola Livingston, Mrs. Neilson, Mrs Geraldyn Redmond and Mrs. Baynal. Lindley H. Chapin, of No. 5 West Thirty-seventh street, has acted as treasurer of the fund which was raised to pay the expenses of the Sisters’ passage and to establish them comfortably in this city.
   The committee of ladies in charge of the Sisters are at present negotiating for a house on the east side near Fourteenth street. They hope to obtain it within a very few days so as to enable the party to get settled and begin their work. They expect to get the house equipped and furnished so that the Little Sisters will be able to start out on their mission not later than May 1.
   The Sisters and the lady patronesses of the new order are very modest about talking of the work they have in contemplation. One of the ladies interested in the work said to a World reporter yesterday:
   “The Little Sisters are very sorry that their coming has attracted so much attention. It is their wish to carry on their work in as unostentatious a manner as possible. The same methods that have characterized their labor in Paris and other European cities during the past thirty years, will be noted here. All of the Sisters are experienced nurses. When they are established they will go from their house every day for the purpose of nursing and looking after the sick and the unfortunate. They are, in fact, to become servants of the poor, but they give their service without any earthly renumeration. Go among the poor and afflicted of Paris, and there you will bear what the good Little Sisters have done in the interests of suffering humanity. Their noble deeds make them looked upon there as messengers of God, and truly deserving of the title of heroine. The extent of the good which they have done for the poor of Paris can never be estimated. They will have no homes for the reception of the sick, but will make house-to-house visits among the absolutely destitute, carrying to them Christian hope and consolation. They are Catholic in name, and their mission is catholic in spirit also. The success of our mission is already insured. Men and women irrespective of their religious creed have come forward to guarantee us all the financial aid we require. Archbishop Corrigan is a devoted friend of the Little Sisters.”
   The sisters were met at the pier by some of the friends and patronesses of the new home. The Rev. Father Edwards of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, in East Fourteenth street, will look after the comforts of the party until their new home is ready.