Origins

The Sisters of Charity of Jesus & Mary were founded in 1803 in the rural Belgian town Lovendegem by Peter Joseph Triest (1760-1836) and first mother superior Placida Van der Gauwen (1769-1844). Soon the Congregation grew into one of the biggest female religious institutions of the country.

Spirituality and action

As a typical 19th-century female Congregation the Sisters of Charity JM combined a rigorous spirituality with a strong social commitment.

Care and education

At the request of the civic authorities in Ghent the young foundation moved from Lovendegem to Ghent in 1805 to set up a hospital for the people who were terminally ill in the old convent of Terhagen. Starting from Ghent, the Sisters developed a range of activities in Belgium, the Netherlands, England and Ireland in the field of Education, Health care, Psychiatry, care for the older person and person with disabilities.

Worldwide presence

As from the end of the 19th century, the Congregation embraced the missionary adventure; and missionary Sisters went to the Congo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and British India (now Pakistan and India).

Today

Today, the Sisters of Charity JM are an international group of 1250 members. The majority of the Sisters are now from Asia and Africa. You can follow the activities of the Congregation on their website.