our HISTORY

The Daughters of Charity were quietly founded, inspired by divine guidance in the lives of St Vincent de Paul and St Louise de Marillac.

BEGINNinGS

Revolutionising charity: The inspiring history of the Daughters of Charity OF St Vincent de Paul

In 1633, the Daughters of Charity were founded in Paris, France, by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac. Deeply concerned with the poverty and suffering surrounding them, they brought together a group of young women who shared their dedication of helping the poor and the sick. These first twelve peasant girls were unlike other Sisters at the time in terms of both social and economic status and their desire to live and work among those in need. This challenged conventions when Sisters predominantly lived cloistered lives with less interaction with individuals suffering in the streets.

St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac instilled in the peasant women, whom the poor called "Daughters of Charity," the importance of prayer and community life in their service vocation. These laywomen, eventually taking annual instead of perpetual vows, remained unconstrained by the era's limitations on nuns, allowing them the freedom to serve the most abandoned in cities and villages. Vincent and Louise revolutionised women's religious life, driven by seeing Christ in the poor.

"The Daughters of Charity have… for a convent, the houses of the sick; for cell, a rented room; for chapel, the parish church; for cloister, the streets of the city; for enclosure, obedience; for grille, the fear of God; and for veil, holy modesty."

St Vincent de Paul

Their legacy of charity is marked by boundless love, compassion, respect, and devotion, encapsulated in the Company of Daughters of Charity's motto: "The charity of Jesus crucified compels us."

EXPANDING HORIzONS

OUR Journey in

Great Britain & Australia

Tracing the transformative journey of our mission in Great Britain and Australia, this section explores the rich history and enduring impact of our presence in these regions

1847- 1857

Established in GREAT BRITAIN

In June 1847, the Daughters of Charity sent six Sisters from Paris to Salford and Manchester. They faced sustained verbal and physical harassment and were withdrawn in less than two years. In 1857, Sisters were once again sent to England this time to the steel town of Sheffield, Yorkshire. Here they flourished, becoming established, where they became well respected and loved by the local people. By 1900, the Daughters of Charity had 37 canonically erected houses in England and 6 in Scotland. The Sisters could be found working in some of the worst social settings of the day – nursing, teaching, childcare, social work and parish visiting.  where the Sisters worked in nursing, teaching, childcare, social work, and parish visiting.

1870 - 2003

OVERSEAS MISSION & DEVELOPMENT

Between 1870 and 2003, seventy-four Sisters from the province were missionaries through the Company’s Mission Ad Gentes programme. They served in Algeria, Australia, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Nigeria, Spain and Turkey.

1926

ESTABLISHED IN AUSTRALIA

In 1926, the Australian foundation originated as a mission initiated by the Daughters in Britain and Ireland, in response to the request of Bishop Michael O’Farrell CM, who served as the Bishop of Bathurst. Over the years, this foundation evolved and expanded, eventually becoming a province in 1963. This transformation marked a significant milestone in the history and development of the company, solidifying its presence and impact in the region.

2020

creation of the Rosalie Rendu Province

On 11th March 2020, the Provinces of Great Britain and Australia came together in a spirit of unity and collaboration to officially form the Rosalie Rendu Province. This significant union marks a new chapter in the shared history and future endeavours of these two distinct regions, symbolising a powerful commitment to working together towards common goals and values.

THE DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY

interactive TIMELINE

This interactive timeline offers a dynamic journey through the Daughters of Charity's history, showcasing key events, milestones, and figures that have shaped our enduring legacy of service and faith.

1633

Beginning of the Daughters of Charity

In 1633, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac founded the Daughters of Charity in Paris, France.

1660

Deaths of St Vincent de Paul & St Louise de Marillac

In 1660, the Daughters of Charity faced a year of profound loss, as both their co-founders, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, passed away, leaving behind a lasting legacy of service and compassion.

1802

Rosalie Rendu Joins the daughters of charity

Embarking on a life of selfless service and compassion for the poor and sick.

1830

St Catherine Labouré Miraculous Medal

In 1830, St. Catherine Labouré experienced a Marian apparition that led to the creation of the Miraculous Medal, marking a significant moment in the history of the Daughters of Charity.

1847

First Daughters of Charity in Great Britain

In 1847, the Daughters of Charity expanded their compassionate outreach by arriving in Great Britain, marking a significant milestone in our mission to serve those in need across the world.

1900

43 Houses in Great Britain

By 1900, the Daughters of Charity had established a significant presence in Great Britain, with 43 mission houses actively serving the needs of communities across the region.

1926

A New Chapter of Charity: The Daughters' Arrival in Australia

In 1926, the Daughters of Charity from Great Britain expanded their mission of compassion and service by establishing new communities in Australia.

2020

Province of Rosalie Rendu

In 2020, marking a significant milestone, the communities of the Daughters of Charity in Great Britain and Australia reunited to form the Rosalie Rendu Province.

  • 1633
  • 1660
  • 1802
  • 1830
  • 1847
  • 1900
  • 1926
  • 2020
a novena to our lady of the miraculous medal
THE DAUGhTERS IN BRITAIN

Leaving God for God

The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul launched ‘Leaving God for God’ by Susan O’Brien on 1st May 2017. This book is about our history in Great Britain covering 170 years.
A study of five generations of Daughters of Charity in Britain charting their changing ministries and analysing a distinctive way of life focused on serving people in poverty. With 64 pages of colour photographs, maps and an appendix providing a pen portrait of every house opened by the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul in Britain from 1847 to 2017.

REVIEWS

 ‘From their founding in 1633, the Daughters of Charity have occupied an unusual place in the Catholic world. They have never been nuns, despite the famous white-winged headgear (ditched in 1964) …. [they] continue to combine their Vincentian identity with a rare talent for responding to the shifting social needs of Britain. They have found a sympathetic but rigorous historian in O’Brien.’  
The Catholic Herald Dr Jonathan Wright author of The Jesuits.

 

‘The work…is a major contribution to the research on women’s religious institutes… It will be, without any doubt, a formidable model for others to follow. Sixty pages of visual essays…make this book a pleasant and stimulating experience to read.’

Matthieu Brejon de Lavergnée, Professor of History, De Paul University, USA, author of The Streets of the City: History of the Daughters of Charity

 

‘A tour de force…Thanks to this book we are that bit closer to understanding just how foundational women, lay and religious, were to extending the mission of the Catholic Church.’
Karly Kehoe, Professor of History, St Mary’s University, Nova Scotia, Canada, author of Creating a Scottish Church.



Owing to a surplus number of books in stock we can offer this book free of charge upon request to order from our website for only the cost of postage and packing - £5 (U.K. only)


Just click on the order button below.

Share by: