The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres (SPC) is a
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
religious apostolic missionary congregation of
pontifical right for teaching, nursing, visiting the poor and taking care of orphans, the old and infirm, and the mentally ill. It was founded in Levesville-la-Chenard, France in 1696.
There are no lay-sisters, but every sister must be prepared to undertake any kind of work. The interior spirit is a love of sacrifice and labor for the spiritual and temporal good of others. The Postulancy lasts from six months to one year, the novitiate two years, after which the sisters take vows annually for three to seven years, and then perpetual simple vows.
History
In 1696, the congregation was founded by Father Louis Chauvet, the parish priest of
Levesville-la-Chenard, a little French village. He asked the help of Marie-Anne de Tilly who became one of the first sisters and second superior of the community. An alternative history suggests that they were founded at Chartres in 1704 by Monsignor Maréchaut, a theologian of the Cathedral of Chartres, assisted by Mlle de Tilly and Mlle de Tronche.
Their first house belonged to Father Louis Chauvet. Eventually they were asked to go to
Chartres and they occupied a house given by the
Bishop of Chartres
The oldest known list of bishops of Chartres is found in an 11th-century manuscript of Trinity Abbey, Vendôme. It includes 57 names from Adventus (Saint Aventin) to Aguiertus (Agobert) who died in 1060. The most well-known list is included in the ...
, Monsignor
Paul Godet des Marais Paul Godet des Marais (1647–1709) was a French Bishop of Chartres.
Marais was born at Talcy, near Blois. He studied at Saint-Sulpice, took the doctorate of theology at the Sorbonne, was ordained, and became (1677) superior of the '' Sémi ...
. This house formerly belonged to a
sabot-maker, and this gave them the name of "les Sœurs sabotières de Saint-Maurice", by which they were originally known. The congregation was dispersed under the
Terror, during the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
, but it was restored by
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, who gave the sisters a monastery at Chartres, which originally belonged to the
Jacobins
, logo = JacobinVignette03.jpg
, logo_size = 180px
, logo_caption = Seal of the Jacobin Club (1792–1794)
, motto = "Live free or die"(french: Vivre libre ou mourir)
, successor = P ...
, from which they became known as "les Sœurs de St. Jacques". They settled in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in 1847 at the invitation of
Cardinal Wiseman
Nicholas Patrick Stephen Wiseman (3 August 1802 – 15 February 1865) was a Cardinal of the Catholic Church who became the first Archbishop of Westminster upon the re-establishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales in 1850.
Bor ...
.
France and England
Until 1902 they had over two hundred and fifty houses in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
where, besides various kinds of schools, they undertook asylums for the blind, the aged, and the insane, hospitals, dispensaries, and crèches. By 1913, more than one hundred and sixty of these schools have been closed, also thirty of the hospitals, military and civil, in the French colonies, three convents at Blois and a hospice at Brie. On the other hand they have in the meanwhile opened five or six hospitals in the French colonies, two hospitals and three elementary schools in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, and three educational houses in Siam.
The English branch was under the government of a mother general (as of 1913).
Hong Kong
The first Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres arrived in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
in 1848. Institutions founded by the Sisters include:
*
St. Paul's Convent School
*
St. Paul's Secondary School
*
St. Paul's School (Lam Tin)
*
St. Paul's Hospital (Hong Kong)
St. Paul's Hospital is a Roman Catholic hospital in Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong.
Naming
The hospital is colloquially known as the French Hospital ()
History
The hospital grew out of the caring activities undertaken by the S ...
*
St. Teresa's Hospital
Core values
See also
*
Paulists
Paulists, or Paulines, is the name used for Roman Catholic orders and congregations under the patronage of Paul of Thebes the First Hermit. From the time that the abode and virtues of Paul of Thebes were revealed to Antony the Abbot, various comm ...
*
Sisters of Charity
Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity in their name. Some ''Sisters of Charity'' communities refer to the Vincentian tradition, or in America to the tradition of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, but others are unrelated. The ...
References
* The entry cities:
**Steel, ''Convents of Great Britain'' (London, 1902)
External links
Official websiteSisters of Saint Paul - Selly Park
{{Authority control
Notre Dame Educational Association
Catholic female orders and societies