BEGINNINGS parish in Namur, Belgium. Father Nicholas Joseph Minsart, the parish priest,
was a religious of the Order of St. Bernard whose Abbey in Boneffe had been
suppressed because of the religious persecution of the times. Burning with love
for God and for the people in their need, he set about "healing the ravages of
the Revolution"--restoring "numerous places of refuge where the truths of
religion could be taught and where deprived young people could receive
spiritual nourishment and learn through honest work how to earn their daily
bread."In 1819 "he encouraged two young women to live devout lives together in a house which he obtained for them. They started a workroom where poor girls could learn to sew. He himself provided them with every kind of spiritual and material help." Soon others came to join in their way of life. By 1834 it seemed to Father Minsart that the time had come to propose to the women that they make a religious commitment and to give them a rule of their own approved by Bishop Barrett of Namur. On September 21 sixteen sisters received the habit and eight of the original group made profession for three years. Among this group was Sister Claire of Jesus  who would be elected superior
shortly before Father Minsart's death in 1837. For thirty-six years she devoted
herself to forming the religious spirit of her daughters, seeking always to
cooperate with the will of God for the young congregation.Since that time Mother Claire has been esteemed as co-foundress of the congregation. The sisters were invited to various places to conduct academies and schools for the poor and the number of foundations in Belgium began to increase. In 1863, in response to a desire which had long been growing among the sisters, Mother Claire sent the first missionaries of the congregation to the United States of America. |
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