Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de paul 
British Province

150 Years of loving service in Sheffield

Monday, 27th August 2007 was a wonderful milestone in the life of the Daughters of Charity in the British Province. On that day one hundred and fifty years ago, at the invitation of Fr Bourke CM and his Vincentian confrères in Sheffield, the Daughters of Charity began their founding mission in Britain. To read more about
the history behind the celebrations >>>

And so, on the eve of 27th August 2007, Sister Evelyne Franc DC, Superioress General, Sr Margaret Barrett DC, Assistant General, Sr Julia Denton DC former General Councillor, Sr Catherine Prendergast DC, Provincial of the Irish Province and a representation of our Sisters from Ireland, along with Sister Sarah King-Turner DC, Provincial, and many other Sisters of the British Province, travelled to Sheffield to remember this great beginning, to give thanks for all that God has done for vulnerable people through the Community and to ask God's blessing on the future. Our first act of celebration was to gather in St Michael's Catholic Cemetery at the burial site of our deceased Sisters who had served in Sheffield. It was very moving to stand beside their graves and know that we were truly "standing on the shoulders" of the ones who have gone before us.

                                                           

Today the Sisters' house in Sheffield is a small terraced house, so facilities in St Paul's Hotel in the city centre had been hired for the next part of the celebration which included a meal, a prayerful Media Show presentation and an inspiring talk by Sister Evelyne. In this talk, she recalled the beginnings of the British Province, affirmed us in our vocation and challenged us to find new ways of serving Christ in the most vulnerable people in Britain today: 'To be prophets of hope for the poor now and everywhere'.

Next Bishop Rawsthorne addressed the gathering, thanking the Daughters of Charity and the Vincentian Fathers for their presence in Sheffield and for the real contribution they had made to the life and outreach of the Church over the years.

Finally we all received a beautifully-produced timeline booklet, written by Sister Maria Parcher, outlining the story of the Sisters within the social history of Britain during the past 150 years. We recited our special 150th anniversary prayer, said our farewells and then, with joyful hearts, boarded the various coaches going north, south, east and west, taking us back to the places where we currently minister.

For all that has been - THANKS...... For all that is to come - YES! 

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