Little Sisters of the Poor

Our Apostolate

Spirituality and Charisma

The Spirit of the Congregation is the Evangelical Spirit of the Beatitudes (Mat, 5). Saint Jeanne Jugan, our foundress, faithful to the Holy Spirit, radiated particularly in her life gentleness and humility of heart which enabled her to surrender herself, in simplicity to the joy of hospitality. To be a Little Sister of the Poor, reminds us that we have vowed our lives to go always to the aged poor and to create a flow of apostolic collaboration and fraternal charity, in order to assist Christ in the poor. For each one, it is personally an invitation to share in the beatitude of spiritual poverty, leading us towards that radical dispossession which surrenders a soul to God.

Consecrated hospitality is, in the midst of the world, a witness to the mercy of the Father and the compassionate love of the Heart of Jesus.

Foundress:
Saint Jeanne Jugan Born in Cancale, Britanny, France on October 25th 1792, Jeanne lost her father, a fisherman, at sea when she was hardly four years of age. Working from a young age to help her mother raise the family, at sixteen she began working as a kitchen maid in a manor near Cancale and later left home at the age of 25 for Saint Servan where she worked as a nurse's aide. Asked in marriage she replied: God wants me for himself. He is keeping me for a work which is not yet founded." Having joined the Third Order of the Admirable Mother, founded by Saint Jean Eudes, she finally opened her door and her heart to a blind, semi-paralysed elderly woman who had suddenly found herself alone and without help... This act committed her forever.

A second and then a third elderly woman followed and by 1843 they numbered 40. Firstly named superior of the little congregation she was soon ousted from this responsibility and reduced to have the simple activity of collecting, a hard task which she herself had begun to help the poor.

Her faith and love helped her to discern God's will and although she was kept in the background for 27 years she always had full confidence that God's work would succeed.

In fact at her death in 1879 there were already 2,000 little sisters working in various countries including France, Belgium, U.K., Spain, Italy, Malta, U.S.A., Algeria etc.

Apostolate:
Our only apostolate is the care of the elderly poor and infirm in homes where we can better take care of them up to the end of their lives. For this work some sisters are assigned to go out collecting for their basic needs and those of the house. This latter ministry is also an occasion to spread the idea of fraternal charity and the message of the Beatitudes to all.