The Blessed Sacrament Sisters Tercentenary 1715 -2015

From the week beginning 13th April, our Italian Sisters will be celebrating. Among other events will be an audience with Pope Francis. Sister M.Patrick, Sister Mary Catherine, Sister Patricia, Sister Christine and Sister Consolata have been to Rome to participate in the celebrations. The highlight in England will take place on 4th June, the feast of Corpus Christi, when our new bishop, Bishop Richard Moth, will concelebrate Mass here, at The Towers. At the same time, Sister Breda will celebrate her Golden Jubilee. Other celebrations will take place in Brazil, Spain, Ireland, and Tanzania, culminating in France on 30th November 2015. There is an exhibition in the front hall of the school on the history of the Congregation. Please feel free to come and browse. Here is a taste of it… 1715 – 1815 On 30th November 1715 in the church of Boucieu-Le-Roi, France, Blessed Peter Vigne presented the cross and religious habit to Louise Bouveyron, Catherine Junique, Jeanne Rouveure, Marie Speliat, Marguerite Rouveure, Marie Bosc and Jeanne Lalaye. They were to adore the Blessed Sacrament, to educate the young, to lead pilgrims and to care for the poor. In 1740, at the death of Blessed Peter Vigne, the congregation numbered nearly 100 Sisters spread throughout 19 locations: Boucieu, Rochepaule, Desaignes, La Batie, Macheville, St. Barthelemy-Le-Pin, Monteil, Lamastre, St. Martin-De-Vallamas, Noziere, Chalancon, Baix, Le Pouzin, La Voulte, Bourg-St. Andeol, Die, Crest, Saillans and St. Agnan-En-Vercors. During the French Revolution of 1789, most of the Sisters were dispersed back to their families or friends. They risked their lives to bring comfort to those suffering. One or two of them (e.g. Sister St. Michel Blachere) stayed at Boucieu, as villagers, to watch over the tomb of Father Vigne. Some of the Sisters as “citizenesses” remained in the hospitals. 1792 Decree – “All convents and monasteries currently occupied must be evacuated… and sold.” In 1793 the “Reign of Terror”, led by Robespierre, began. Some of the Sisters refused to take the Oath of Allegiance and hid. Sister Ste. Croix Portes was captured at Tournon and thrown into prison at Privas. In 10 months, more that 20,000 people met their death on the guillotine. However, in 1794, Robespierre himself was guillotined and Sister Ste. Croix was eventually released. The Sisters were recalled to run the hospitals which had deteriorated dreadfully and, little by little, they returned to their Missions. Napoleon Bonaparte re-established religious peace, and in 1804, under the direction of the “prefet” Descorches, promulgated a decree giving to the Sisters the Monastery of St. Juste at Romans. Five Sisters took up residence there: Mother Ste. Julie Afforti, Sister St. Augustin Foret, Sister St. Louis Payan (from Boucieu), Sister St. Regis Mercier and Sister St. Philippe Benoit. Romans became the Mother House.

1815 – 1915 New Foundations in France 1815: Mazan – Vaucluse — Home for the elderly/Parish work 1816: Monteux — Home for the elderly 1826: Le Thor – Vaucluse — Home for the elderly/School 1832: Joyeuse – Ardeche — School/Hospital 1833: Bedarrides – Vaucluse — Home for the elderly 1834: Carpentras – Vaucluse — Hospital/Orphanage 1838: Montelimar – Drome — Orphanage 1838: Cavaillon – Vaucluse — Hospital Foundations in France and Italy 1857: L’Arnaud Romens – Drome — Retirement home 1861: Auroux – Lozere — Retirement home 1863: Paris — Retirement home 1868 Nice – Alpes Maritimes — Retirement home 1869: Subiaco — School 1876: Valence – Drome — Orphanage 1882: Courtheszon – Vaucluse — School/Hospital 1889: Italy – Bolsena — School 1891: Dombasle Sur Meurthe — Retirement home/School 1892: Le Cannet – Alpes Maritimes — Retirement home 1898: Gairaut – Alpes Maritimes — School England 1874: Golden Square – London — School and Hostel Lady Boarders 1880: Brompton Square – London — Hostel/Parish work Lady Boarders 1886: Brighton – Sussex — School 1890: Leicester Place – London — School Italy 1881: Rome — School – Regional house 1883: Carpineto — School/Hospital 1887: Lanuvio — School During 1901-1905, French laws separated church and state in France. The anti-religious laws in France resulted in the confiscation of property and the closure of schools and houses. The Monastery of St. Just, Romans, is taken from the Sisters. The Sisters had to leave 56 schools and hospitals which they ran. In 1906 the Mother House is transferred to Valence. England 1902: Tunbridge Wells — School/Lady Boarders 1903: Bramber (Upper Beeding) — The Towers Convent School Brazil 1903: Feira De Santana — School/Orphanage 1904: Maceio — School 1905: Sao Carlos — School 1905: Cachoeira — School/Orphanage 1907: Salvador — Novitiate 1915-2015: New Foundations in England and Scotland 1916: Gloucester Gardens London — Retirement home 1969: Waterside Scotland — Teaching in local schools and Parish work 1977: Henfield — Parish work 1985: Welling — Parish work New Foundations in France 1927: Valence — College – Lycee 1938: Aubenas — Hospital 1958: Valence — Clinic 1975: Arnaud — Parish house New Foundations in Ireland 1954: Tullamore — Hostel for young women – Work with the mentally handicapped 1992: Malahide — Parish work Foundations in Spain 1964: Sasamon — Nursery 1974: Burgos — School/Nursery/Pilgrims Foundations in Africa – Tanzania 2004: Morogoro – Kilakala — School – Parish work 2014: Morogoro – Tungi — Novitiate farm Brazil 2005-2008: Itacoatiara – Amazona (To fulfill their Mission among the poorest, the Sisters lived on a house boat, with little sanitation, sleeping in hammocks and bitten by insects!) 2009: Sapucaia – Amazona Foundations in France 2011: Alixan — Parish work 2013: Emmaus – Valence — Parish work Latest Foundation in Brazil 2015: Xingara – Amazona — Work among the poor

Blessed Sacrament Sisters Tercentenary

This year, 2015, The Blessed Sacrament Sisters are celebrating their Tercentenary, 300 years since their foundation at Boucieu-le-Roi, in the mountains of Ardeche, France, by Blessed Peter Vigne, their Founder on 30th November, 1715. Various events will mark this celebration in the countries where the Sisters are established. From the week beginning 13th April, our Italian Sisters will be celebrating. Among other events will be an audience with Pope Francis. Sister M.Patrick, Sister Mary Catherine, Sister Patricia, Sister Christine and Sister Consolata have been to Rome to participate in the celebrations. The highlight in England will take place on 4th June, the feast of Corpus Christi, when our new bishop, Bishop Richard Moth, will concelebrate Mass here, at The Towers. At the same time, Sister Breda will celebrate her Golden Jubilee. Other celebrations will take place in Brazil, Spain, Ireland, and Tanzania, culminating in France on 30th November 2015. There is an exhibition in the front hall of the school on the history of the Congregation. Please feel free to come and browse. Here is a taste of it… 1715 – 1815 On 30th November 1715 in the church of Boucieu-Le-Roi, France, Blessed Peter Vigne presented the cross and religious habit to Louise Bouveyron, Catherine Junique, Jeanne Rouveure, Marie Speliat, Marguerite Rouveure, Marie Bosc and Jeanne Lalaye. They were to adore the Blessed Sacrament, to educate the young, to lead pilgrims and to care for the poor. In 1740, at the death of Blessed Peter Vigne, the congregation numbered nearly 100 Sisters spread throughout 19 locations: Boucieu, Rochepaule, Desaignes, La Batie, Macheville, St. Barthelemy-Le-Pin, Monteil, Lamastre, St. Martin-De-Vallamas, Noziere, Chalancon, Baix, Le Pouzin, La Voulte, Bourg-St. Andeol, Die, Crest, Saillans and St. Agnan-En-Vercors. During the French Revolution of 1789, most of the Sisters were dispersed back to their families or friends. They risked their lives to bring comfort to those suffering. One or two of them (e.g. Sister St. Michel Blachere) stayed at Boucieu, as villagers, to watch over the tomb of Father Vigne. Some of the Sisters as “citizenesses” remained in the hospitals. 1792 Decree – “All convents and monasteries currently occupied must be evacuated… and sold.” In 1793 the “Reign of Terror”, led by Robespierre, began. Some of the Sisters refused to take the Oath of Allegiance and hid. Sister Ste. Croix Portes was captured at Tournon and thrown into prison at Privas. In 10 months, more that 20,000 people met their death on the guillotine. However, in 1794, Robespierre himself was guillotined and Sister Ste. Croix was eventually released. The Sisters were recalled to run the hospitals which had deteriorated dreadfully and, little by little, they returned to their Missions. Napoleon Bonaparte re-established religious peace, and in 1804, under the direction of the “prefet” Descorches, promulgated a decree giving to the Sisters the Monastery of St. Juste at Romans. Five Sisters took up residence there: Mother Ste. Julie Afforti, Sister St. Augustin Foret, Sister St. Louis Payan (from Boucieu), Sister St. Regis Mercier and Sister St. Philippe Benoit. Romans became the Mother House.