Vincentian Heritage Journal Volume 20 Issue 1 Article 2 Spring 1999 The Sulpicians and the Sisters of Charity: Concentric Circles of Mission Betty Ann McNeil D.C. Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj Recommended Citation McNeil, Betty Ann D.C. (1999) "The Sulpicians and the Sisters of Charity: Concentric Circles of Mission," Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 20 : Iss. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol20/iss1/2 This Articles is brought to you for free and open access by the Vincentian Journals and Publications at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in Vincentian Heritage Journal by an authorized editor of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. 13 The Sulpicians and the Sisters of Charity: Concentric Circles of Mission B BETTY ANN MCNEIL, D.C. Introduction The French Sulpicians in Baltimore wrote the earliest chapters in the story of the American Sisters of Charity punctuated with the pain of human conflict and heroic struggles. In God's Providence, the Holy Spirit used events and personalities to bring about new life in the American Church Like a team rowing energetically despite the strain, the person at the helm controlled the community's destiny. This paper will consider a developmental perspective of the Sulpician mission as pivotal in the period 1789 to 1850, focusing on the establishment of the Sisters of Charity and key events leading to the union with France of the Emmitsburg community. I will then discuss some mission deter- minants and their implications for contemporary ministry.