Sisters of Charity of Nevers
Encyclopedia
The Sisters of Charity of Nevers (French
: Congrégation des Sœurs de la Charité de Nevers), also known as Sisters of Charity and Christian Instruction, is a religious order founded in 1680 in Nevers
, Nièvre
department, France
, at the instigation of Jean-Baptiste Delaveyne
. The motherhouse
, the convent at St. Gildard in Nevers, is built on the ruins of the priory of Saint-Gildard, and was supervised by the bishop of the diocese of Nevers
.
who had spent seven years being dazzled by the court of Louis XIV of France
, returned to Saint-Saulge
, the hamlet in the Nièvre department where he was born, in an attempt to regain the spiritual direction of his youth. Struck by the poverty he found in that rural area, he offered the young ladies of the village of Saint-Saulge a challenge: "Have no other business but that of charity. Have no other interests but those of the unfortunate." This challenge led to the order's foundation. Delaveyne organized a small house with Sisters who ministered to the sick and the poor.
The order was housed in Château-Chinon
in 1706. In 1710 they moved to Decize
to serve in the local hospital, and in 1716 they consecrated a chapel in Saint-Saulge to the Immaculate Conception
. In 1748 they returned to Château-Chinon, to its hospital. While the Sisters initially ministered to the poor, during the nineteenth century they were more oriented toward the middle classes (and most of the novitiates were middle-class girls), and by the 1860s operated 260 convents in France.
In 1853, the Sisters were given the former Church of Saint Lupus and Saint Gildard
in Nevers by Dominique-Augustin Dufêtre
, bishop of Nevers, to built a religious house; it was officially consecrated on 15 July 1856.
, also known as Bernadette de Loures, as a member in the motherhouse at Nevers; after having received her visions, Bernadette entered the school in Lourdes run by the sisters, who had opened a hospice in Lourdes in 1834. In 1866, she was accepted to take her novitiate
in Nevers, where she died in 1879. Her body is enshrined in the St. Gildard Convent's chapel in Nevers. Today, the Sisters also tend the cachot, the basement apartment in Lourdes
where Soubirous lived during her youth; in 2008, the Sisters received Pope Benedict XVI
in the cachot, before he visited the grotto in Lourdes.
Another notable Sister was Marcelline Pauper
, born 1663, who entered at Nevers at age twenty-two. Her autobiography was published in 1871; in it, she described how she made reparations for a sacrilege that had occurred in the chapel by receiving the stigmata
, on 26 April 1702.
s and had convents and schools throughout France. The Sisters are active in Asia, Africa, and South America.
It also operates:
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Congrégation des Sœurs de la Charité de Nevers), also known as Sisters of Charity and Christian Instruction, is a religious order founded in 1680 in Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
, Nièvre
Nièvre
Nièvre is a department in the centre of France named after the Nièvre River.-History:Nièvre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
department, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, at the instigation of Jean-Baptiste Delaveyne
Jean-Baptiste Delaveyne
Jean-Baptiste Delaveyne was a French Benedictine priest. In 1680, he founded the religious order of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, which operated hundred of convents and schools throughout France and has its motherhouse in Nevers, France....
. The motherhouse
Motherhouse
The term motherhouse is used by religious Orders and religious congregations to designate the principal house or community for that group. It can be either for the entire institute or for a region....
, the convent at St. Gildard in Nevers, is built on the ruins of the priory of Saint-Gildard, and was supervised by the bishop of the diocese of Nevers
Roman Catholic Diocese of Nevers
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nevers, is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in France. The diocese comprises the department of Nièvre, in the Region of Bourgogne....
.
History
In 1678, Jean-Baptiste Delaveyne (1653-1719), a BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
who had spent seven years being dazzled by the court of Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, returned to Saint-Saulge
Saint-Saulge
Saint-Saulge is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-References:*...
, the hamlet in the Nièvre department where he was born, in an attempt to regain the spiritual direction of his youth. Struck by the poverty he found in that rural area, he offered the young ladies of the village of Saint-Saulge a challenge: "Have no other business but that of charity. Have no other interests but those of the unfortunate." This challenge led to the order's foundation. Delaveyne organized a small house with Sisters who ministered to the sick and the poor.
The order was housed in Château-Chinon
Château-Chinon (Ville)
Château-Chinon is a commune in the Nièvre department in France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.The villages around the town are grouped in another commune named Château-Chinon ....
in 1706. In 1710 they moved to Decize
Decize
Decize is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Site:The town is situated on a former island in the Loire at the confluent of the Aron river. The right channel of the Loire was dammed up to reclaim land and now remains as an arm stretching upstream to the centre of town...
to serve in the local hospital, and in 1716 they consecrated a chapel in Saint-Saulge to the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
. In 1748 they returned to Château-Chinon, to its hospital. While the Sisters initially ministered to the poor, during the nineteenth century they were more oriented toward the middle classes (and most of the novitiates were middle-class girls), and by the 1860s operated 260 convents in France.
In 1853, the Sisters were given the former Church of Saint Lupus and Saint Gildard
Saint Gildard (Lurcy-le-Bourg)
Saint Gildard, or Saint Gildardus, is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. He was a priest in the seventh century of Lurcy-le-Bourg, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nevers. His name remains in the convent of St. Gildard, operated by the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, and the final resting place of...
in Nevers by Dominique-Augustin Dufêtre
Dominique-Augustin Dufêtre
Dominique-Augustin Dufêtre was the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nevers from 1842 to 1860....
, bishop of Nevers, to built a religious house; it was officially consecrated on 15 July 1856.
Notable sisters
The order is best known for having had Bernadette SoubirousBernadette Soubirous
Saint Marie-Bernarde Soubirous was a miller's daughter born in Lourdes. From 11 February to 16 July 1858, she reported 18 apparitions of "a small young lady" who asked for a chapel to be built at that site at Lourdes....
, also known as Bernadette de Loures, as a member in the motherhouse at Nevers; after having received her visions, Bernadette entered the school in Lourdes run by the sisters, who had opened a hospice in Lourdes in 1834. In 1866, she was accepted to take her novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
in Nevers, where she died in 1879. Her body is enshrined in the St. Gildard Convent's chapel in Nevers. Today, the Sisters also tend the cachot, the basement apartment in Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
where Soubirous lived during her youth; in 2008, the Sisters received Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in the cachot, before he visited the grotto in Lourdes.
Another notable Sister was Marcelline Pauper
Marcelline Pauper
Marcelline Pauper was one of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers. She asked to receive the stigmata as repayment for a sacrilege committed at the Sister's chapel, and received them on 26 April 1702. Her autobiography was not published until 1871....
, born 1663, who entered at Nevers at age twenty-two. Her autobiography was published in 1871; in it, she described how she made reparations for a sacrilege that had occurred in the chapel by receiving the stigmata
Stigmata
Stigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
, on 26 April 1702.
Establishments
A daughter organization of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, the Sisters of Charity of Nevers operate hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s and had convents and schools throughout France. The Sisters are active in Asia, Africa, and South America.
It also operates:
- Sainte-Anne, a retirement homeRetirement homeA retirement home is a multi-residence housing facility intended for senior citizens. Typically each person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. Additional facilities are provided within the building, including facilities for meals, gathering, recreation, and some...
in Luc-la-PrimaubeLuc-la-PrimaubeLuc-la-Primaube is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France, in Midi-Pyrénées. It is located at ten kilometres south of Rodez. Its inhabitants are called Lucois or Primaubois. Indeed, the commune includes two towns: Luc and La Primaube, apart.-Commune name:Luc-la-Primaube was...
, AveyronAveyronAveyron is a département in southern France named after the Aveyron River.- History :Aveyron is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790....
, France - Retirement home and home for handicapped children (AuxerreAuxerreAuxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
), homeless shelter (SensSensSens is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.Sens is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.-History:...
), in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of SensRoman Catholic Archdiocese of SensThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sens is a Latin Rite Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic church in France. The Archdiocese comprises the department of Yonne, in the region of Bourgogne. Established in the first century AD as the Diocese of Senonensis, the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese in...
, YonneYonneYonne is a French department named after the Yonne River. It is one of the four constituent departments of Burgundy in eastern France and its prefecture is Auxerre. Its official number is 89....
, France
External links
- Charité de Nevers on CORREF