As an organizational genius and an exciting innovator of any social services, St. Louise displayed that marvelously feminine gift of initiating and sustaining several projects even while she was conceiving others. From an article by Sr. Margaret John Kelly, D.C.

1. S T . L O U I S E D E M A R I L L A C
O R G A N I Z A T I O N A L G E N I U S

2. T H E A R T O F P R O J E C T - J U G G L I N G
As an organizational genius
and an exciting innovator of
any social services, St. Louise
displayed that marvelously
feminine gift of initiating and
sustaining several projects
even while she was conceiving
others.

3. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
Louise had great confidence
in the abilities of other
women…
she developed instructional
programs and motivated
these young women to
develop their abilities
PROMOTION OF
WOMEN
she established
the Daughters of
Charity in her
own home in
1 6 3 3
the reality: lack of
opportunity of poor
women; abuses and
deprivations of girls and
women
Louise and her sisters
started workrooms and
technical schools so that
these girls could learn a
trade like lace or stocking
making on their own time.

4. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
The variety of works the
Daughters engaged in
(education, care of children,
home visiting, nursing, care
of the elderly) provided a
broad range of options, and
Louise set up specific
training programs for each
of the fields and mandated
that preparation always
precede service.
time for study
was built into the
daily program of
the sisters
Louise encouraged each
sister, most of whom were
of peasant background, to
develop her gifts and
talents so that she could
use them for the service of
the poor.
Not only was Louise
herself a competent nurse
familiar with all the
bedside techniques and
procedures of her time,
she was also versed in
hospital administration
and was well recognized
for her knowledge of
medicinal herbs.

5. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
Louise wrote: We can no
longer, in good conscience,
be unmoved by the plight of
the foster mothers. They are
asking only what is their due
in recompense for their
labor and for the personal
money which they spend for
the children.
Louise was
particularly
sensitive to issues
of economic
justice for
women.
Her experience with the
foster mothers program
provides an illustration.
The mothers needed to be
paid for their services
even though charitable
donations had ceased and
Louise had no resources.
Again, it was concern for
women that caused Louise
to initiate hospital social
work at the Hospital of Saint
Denis in Paris— the first
example of a social work
function within the hospital
setting. Before a young girl
was discharged from the
hospital, the sisters assisted
her to find suitable work so
that she would have a
means of support and would
be able to live in dignity.

6. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
At the time in Paris, many
infants were abandoned in
public places because of
the high rate of illegitimacy
and the extreme poverty.
Louise began to organize a
response to this need.
The Foundlings
project was the
first modem
organized effort
in child welfare
The Foundlings project,
illustrates how Louise
combined works of charity
with works directed
toward economic justice.
After some difficulties,
including litigation, Louise
succeeded in having the
Ladies of Charity agree to
pledge economic support
if the Daughters would
staff the service.
WORK WITH
FOUNDLINGS

7. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
The success of the program
was immediate and can be
attributed largely to the
rigorous selection process.
Each foster mother
applicant had to produce
evidence from the pastor
that she was of good moral
character and a physician
had to evaluate her general
health, as well as the quality
of her milk, and validate her
age. They would be paid by
the month for their services.
It is estimated
that over 1200
infants were
cared for in five
years
In 1640, Louise developed
a plan for foster care and
was ready to begin her
first pilot project in March.
The beginnings were
modest- four children
placed in homes in the
area.
Given the primitive travel
available in the 17th
century, we must marvel at
the dedication and level
of accountability required
by Louise. Quality
assurance was a high
priority for her. Her ability
to monitor the programs
becomes even more
impressive when one
remembers that wars
dominated the greater
part of 17th century
France.
FOSTER CARE

8. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
In 1645, Louise established
the first cottage style
delivery center, a children’s
institution where thirteen
small residences were built
around a common service
area.
Louise’s standardization of
this and other programs
assured continuity in
quality despite personnel
changes.
This type of service
multiplied—
institutions were
built on this or a
similar model
throughout France.
While the infant foster
care program supplied
well for the babies, a work
had to be instituted for
young children who
needed residential care.
Again the project was
collaborative. The houses
were built by Vincent and
his Priests of the Mission
and then leased to the
Ladies of Charity to be
administered by the
Daughters of Charity.
INSTITUTIONAL
CARE FOR
CHILDREN

9. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
Louise’s writings reveal
precise descriptions of the
manner in which the food
and nursing care was to be
given to the prisoners as
well as the manner in which
the sisters were to conduct
themselves in this very
dangerous environment.
Louise as always
responded
creatively and
with careful
organization.
The condition of the male
prison population was
reprehensible and again
attracted both Vincent and
Louise.
Knowing that the presence
of the Ladies of Charity
had a positive effect on
the prisoners’ behavior,
Louise also arranged that
the Ladies and the
Daughters go together in
their service.
PRISON WORK

10. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
This project, “The Hospice of
the Holy Name” has been
referred to by some
commentators as the first
institutionalized occupational
therapy center. The concept
was to provide housing for a
group of elderly who could
be self-respecting and
productive by earning their
keep through the work of
their hands. In Louise’s words,
“It is essential that no one
should feel useless.'
Once again when
Vincent was offered a
generous sum of
money to do whatever
good work he chose,
he turned to Louise
and asked her to
develop a program for
the elderly.
Although the life
expectancy in 17th
century France was 30-35
years, there were enough
elderly marginalized by
poverty and lacking social
security to claim the
attention of Louise.
Louise was able to
preserve the dignity of the
elderly and preserve them
from that painful
experience of “being a
burden.” In accord with
their diminishing strength,
they were able to do
weaving, dressmaking,
shoe-making, etc. Each of
them received one-quarter
of the profit realized on
the sale of their products,
many of which were sold
to shops in Paris.
CARE OF THE
ELDERLY

11. A R E V I E W O F S T . L O U I S E ’ S M I N I S T R Y
When requested, Vincent
refused to have his priests
assist in the spiritual
services to these poor
because he could not
condone the forced
institutionalization by
cooperating with the
project.
While in most
projects, Louise and
Vincent seemed to
concur in judgments
on service, their
response to
legislation on
beggars diverged
significantly.
Begging was a major issue in
France and an edict was
issued in 1656 which forced
all the able-bodied beggars
to work and placed the
others in hospitals. The
objective was to remove the
“undesirable poor” from view.
Louise had a different
perspective, however, and
did send two sisters to
give assistance to the
women who were
interned. She provided
services even while she
worked actively to support
the right of each person to
self-determination.
BEGGARS

12. A D D I T I O N A L W O R K S O F S T . L O U I S E
Louise initiated
"resettlement
programs” for war
refugees
She organized
“charitable warehouses”
for merchants and
guildsmen to donate
their products
She coordinated
the recruitment
and orientation of
countless
volunteers
She wrote policy
manuals and quality
assurance programs
for health, education,
and social services
She coordinated soup
kitchens in Paris where
at three sites, her Sisters
served over 7,000
persons each day.
She advocated for
the mentally ill and
people with
disabilities.
She managed investments and
engaged in for-profit business
ventures of wine making and
sheep raising to gain revenues
for her charitable enterprises

13. L O U I S E ’ S H E L P A N D I N S P I R A T I O N
There can be no question that we
[today] hear the same cries of the poor
as did Louise in the 17th century.
Perhaps ours have become even more
shrill and pathetic because of
communications technology.
As she prayed to her patron Saint
Louis for the gift of “gentle power”,
may we seek Louise’s help and
inspiration to lengthen and strengthen
her shadow of feminine compassion
and productive creativity. May persons
know that the kingdom is truly theirs
by the love and the justice, “the gentle
power”, they experience through our
services.

14. Source:
"Louise de Marillac: The ‘Gentle Power ’ of Liberation,”
by Sr. Margaret J. Kelly, D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 10 : Iss. 1 ,Article 2.