The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres is a Roman Catholic 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, Monsignor Paul Godet des Marais. 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, but it was restored by Napoleon I, who gave the sisters a monastery at Chartres, which originally belonged to the Jacobins, from which they became known as "les Sœurs de St. Jacques". They settled in England in 1847 at the invitation of Cardinal Wiseman.
France and England
Until 1902 they had over two hundred and fifty houses in France 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, and three educational houses in Siam. The English branch was under the government of a mother general.
1. Christ - Christ is the CENTER of a Paulinian's life; s/he follows and imitates Christ, doing everything in reference to Him. 2. Charity - urged on by the LOVE OF CHRIST, the Paulinian is warm, loving, hospitable and "all to all", especially to the underprivileged. 3. Charism - the Paulinian develops his/her GIFTS/TALENTS to for the service of the community, s/he strives to grow and improve daily, always seeking the better and finer things, and the Final Good. 4. Commission - the Paulinian has a mission - a LIFE PURPOSE to spread the Good News; like Christ, s/he actively works to save" this world, and to make it a better place. 5. Community - the Paulinian is a RESPONSIBLE FAMILY MEMBER and CITIZEN, concerned with building communities, promotion of peoples, justice and peace, and the protection of the environment.
