The Sulpicians and the Sisters of Charity: Concentric Circles of Mission

This article focuses on the Sulpicians’ role in the establishment of the Sisters of Charity and their union with the Daughters of Charity. It also “discuss[es] mission determinants and their implications for contemporary ministry.” The Sulpicians became the superiors of the Sisters of Charity to meet the needs of the Church in the United States, an adaptation of the Sulpician charism of educating the clergy. They introduced the Rules of the Daughters of Charity to the Sisters, which they adapted to suit life in the United States and to suit their community as an independent American foundation. The Sulpicians also influenced the Sisters’ mission. The Sulpicians were the moving spirit behind the Sisters’ union with the Daughters. The history of that union is explained in detail. The ways in which the Sisters governed themselves prior to the union are also described. Useful timelines regarding the 1846 separation of the Sisters in New York, the Sulpicians’ involvement with the Sisters, and the union with the Daughters are provided. A table from the Sisters’ beginning until the union shows the leadership of the Sisters, their Sulpician superiors and superiors general, and the archbishops of Baltimore