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Period: Aug 12, 1551 to
Louise de Marillac
Louise de Marillac one of the original founders of the 'Daughters of Charity' or more recently the 'Sisters of Charity was born in Paris and lived there till her death. She is veneratered by the Roman Catholic Church. By the time of her death, the Daughters of Charity had more than 40 houses in France. Her Sisters have always been held in high repute and have made foundations in all parts of the world. -
Period: Apr 24, 1581 to
Saint Vincent de Paul
In 1617, Vincent De Paul founded the "Daughters of Charity" from a group of women within his parish. He organized these wealthy women of Paris to collect funds for missionary projects, establish hospitals, and gather relief funds for the victims of war and to ransom 1,200 galley slaves from North Africa. From these experiences and with the help of Louise de Marillac, came the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. -
When was the Order founded?
The Order, of the now called Sisters of Charity originally known as the Daughters of Charity was founded in 1633 in Paris France by Louise de Marillac and Vincent de Paul. -
Period: to
Mary Francis Aikenhead
Mother Mary Frances Aikenhead was born in Daunt's Square off Grand Parade, Cork, Ireland. She was the founder of the Catholic religious institute, the Religious Sisters of Charity, and of St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin. -
When did the Order come to Ireland?
The first Sisters of Charity in Dublin Irelamd was founded by Mary Francis Aikenhead. She also set up the first St Vincents Hospital in Dublin in 1834, this was the first hospital staffed by nuns in the English speaking world. -
When did the Order first arrive in Australia?
From Cork Ireland, Bishop Polding asked the foundress of the Sisters of Charity, Mary Aikenhead, to send Sisters of Charity from Ireland to help women convicts sent to Australia. Five volunteered and, after a long journey on the Francis Spaight, arrived in Sydney on the last day of 1838. They were Mother Mary John Cahill, Sister Francis de Salles O'Brien, Sister Baptist de Lacy, Sister Lawrence Cater and Sister Francis Xavier William. -
Arrival in Tasmania
Mother Xavier Williams was a member of the group of three to sail across Bass Strait to pioneer Convent Life and Ministry in Hobart, Tasmania. In the early years the Sisters visited and instructed the Catholic female convicts at the Cascades Female Factory and H.M.S. Anson; patients in the Hospital; the poor and sick in their homes and the orphans in the Queen’s orphanage at New Town -
First hospital opened
St Vincent’s Hospital opened in an estate in Potts Point as a free hospital for all people, but especially for the poor. Three of the Hospital's founding Sisters were professional nurses, having trained in France, and they brought their knowledge to the colony.
