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Marie Poussepin, our foundress traced a path…. Others after her, heirs of her spirit, of her charism, responded to the calls of the time, to the urgencies of evangelization, by preserving as a priority the service to the poor in the midst of many and different commitments. |
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Arrival of the Congregation to the USA.
A little history...
A little history...
The Dominican Sisters of Charity of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin arrived in Fall River in September 1905 to open St. Anne’s Hospital, as a place for the French-Canadian immigrants living in Fall River in very precarious conditions. From the outset, Father Alexis Groleau, O.P. who had requested a Catholic Hospital in Fall River and asked our Congregation to build and to administer it, also had in mind other works of charity in Fall River such as a day nursery and a hostel for working girls. Mother Josefa was in favor of this; however, the early years of the hospital were too difficult to allow diversification. Time passed and the sisters were so busy at the hospital that it was a long time before diversification would occur.
From 1905 to 1960
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In 1905, four sisters arrived, the community dedicated themselves to offer quality care to the poor with the help of the laity, whom they prepared to render different services in the hospital. In 1927, a Nursing School was established, adjacent to the Hospital. Many young women were trained there and several of them joined the Congregation. Until 1920 there was a novitiate at the Hospital. After that young women wanting to enter the Congregation had their formation in France, During this first 55 years, the Sisters focused their service in healthcare to the needy, education and formation of nurses as well as availability to serve wherever the Congregation called them: France, Irack, and Africa. |
From 1960 to the present
Mother Pierre Marie, Superior at the time bought a piece of land and a house on Elm St. in Dighton, Massachusetts for the beginning of a novitiate in the USA. The house which was named Dourdan was founded on October 2,1960.
Mother Pauline du Sauveur from France was the Mistress of novices and there were four American postulants. As time went by postulants from Colombia came to the novitiate to reinforce the number. From the beginning, the Novitiate community and those in formation were very involved in St. Peter’s Parish in Dighton, especially in liturgical animation and catechetical formation.
Soon the house became too small for the young women in formation and a new and much bigger building was constructed on the property to house them all. A group of friends called “the friends of the Novitiate” worked ceaselessly to help and provide for many necessary things. On September 22, 1963 the novitiate was moved to the new building located on the same property.
In 1969 an L shape building was added to this building and was equipped to be an infirmary. It was called Le Rosaire and was founded in 1969.
In 1975 the seat of the Province was moved to the second floor of the Novitiate building. The novitiate was moved back Dourdan, the smaller house on the same property, in 1976.
Two Diocesan Nursing homes were staffed by our sisters, Marian Manor in 1963 and Madonna Manor in 1966. Several young sisters formed in the Novitiate in Dighton ministered there.
In 1965 the Communities of Rosary House in Washington and Bayamón in Puerto Rico became part of the USA Vice Province. Several sisters formed in Dighton, studied in Washington and then went to teach and do parish ministry in Puerto Rico.
Later on, another community was established in Vistamar and in 1975 both communities became part of the Province of Medellin.
Through the years, other communities were established to respond to a variety of needs and ministries in other areas and dioceses of the United States: Fall River, Massachusetts; Brownsville, Texas; Providence, Rhode Island; Gallup, and New Mexico.
Mother Pauline du Sauveur from France was the Mistress of novices and there were four American postulants. As time went by postulants from Colombia came to the novitiate to reinforce the number. From the beginning, the Novitiate community and those in formation were very involved in St. Peter’s Parish in Dighton, especially in liturgical animation and catechetical formation.
Soon the house became too small for the young women in formation and a new and much bigger building was constructed on the property to house them all. A group of friends called “the friends of the Novitiate” worked ceaselessly to help and provide for many necessary things. On September 22, 1963 the novitiate was moved to the new building located on the same property.
In 1969 an L shape building was added to this building and was equipped to be an infirmary. It was called Le Rosaire and was founded in 1969.
In 1975 the seat of the Province was moved to the second floor of the Novitiate building. The novitiate was moved back Dourdan, the smaller house on the same property, in 1976.
Two Diocesan Nursing homes were staffed by our sisters, Marian Manor in 1963 and Madonna Manor in 1966. Several young sisters formed in the Novitiate in Dighton ministered there.
In 1965 the Communities of Rosary House in Washington and Bayamón in Puerto Rico became part of the USA Vice Province. Several sisters formed in Dighton, studied in Washington and then went to teach and do parish ministry in Puerto Rico.
Later on, another community was established in Vistamar and in 1975 both communities became part of the Province of Medellin.
Through the years, other communities were established to respond to a variety of needs and ministries in other areas and dioceses of the United States: Fall River, Massachusetts; Brownsville, Texas; Providence, Rhode Island; Gallup, and New Mexico.
India
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In the mid 1960’s Sr. Marie Ascension, Vice Provincial, started communicating with Father Claude Ollukaran, a Capuchin priest in India regarding vocations to our Congregation. She saw the possibility of starting a mission in India. In time it was decided to send some Indian girls to the USA. Several groups of two or three Indian girls came to the Dighton Novitiate for their formation. In 1971, the USA Province started the first community in India. |
Korea
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The first two sisters sent to Korea, arrived in 1995. They started learning the language. Soon two others arrived and by 1998 they were able to find a place to build a house for the community and a Day Care center. Later on a great collaboration with the sisters in India developed the mission and by 2007 Korea became part of the Vice Province of India. |
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Honduras
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In 2001, we were asked by the Bishop of Fall River to be part of mission team in Guaimaca, Honduras, to respond to the needs of the country after hurricane Mitch. Although at the moment only one sister went as part of the team, in 2004 a community was established. In 2014 an extension community was opened in Tegucigalpa to be the house of formation. On January 2018 it became the second local community in Honduras. |
At present we have five communities in the USA and two communities in Honduras, ministering in two dioceses: Fall River,
Massachusetts and Brownsville, Texas and two Archdioceses: Tegucigalpa, Honduras and Washington, DC.
We are from ten countries of origin: USA, Honduras, Colombia, India, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Philippines, Spain, Haiti and Mexico.
We are attentive to the call of the Church by serving the poor in education, health care, social justice, and pastoral ministry.
We strive to strength our community life by
Being present to young adults and explore meaningful and appropriate ways to minister to them and with them and responding to the needs of new waves of immigrants.
Massachusetts and Brownsville, Texas and two Archdioceses: Tegucigalpa, Honduras and Washington, DC.
We are from ten countries of origin: USA, Honduras, Colombia, India, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Philippines, Spain, Haiti and Mexico.
We are attentive to the call of the Church by serving the poor in education, health care, social justice, and pastoral ministry.
We strive to strength our community life by
Being present to young adults and explore meaningful and appropriate ways to minister to them and with them and responding to the needs of new waves of immigrants.
