Company of Holy-Ursule of Anne de Xainctonge

The Compagnie of Holy-Ursule of Anne de Xainctonge is a congregation of nuns having for vocation the teaching of the girls. It was founded in 1606 with Dole (then Spanish possession ), by the Vénérable Anne de Xainctonge (1587-1621).

Goals

They are double: the sanctification of its members by the observance of the religious wishes (simple and perpetual) and the safety and sanctification of their next. This last goal is reached in particular by teaching as well as by spiritual and body thanksgivings.

History

At the end of the XVIe century, one time when the education of the girls was particularly neglected, Anne de Xainctonge had the original idea to do for the girls what Saint Ignace had done for the boys, by melting an religious order with vocation of teaching. Anne de Xainctonge can thus be regarded as a pionnière of female education.

The classes opened with Dole, the June 16th 1606; they were public and free and accommodated without distinction rich person and the poor. From Pares, the Institute extended quickly in France, Suisse and Germany. It was initially often victim of persecutions, but being expelled of a country, the ursuslines managed to find children and their freedom of teaching in others.

The Société of the Sisters of Holy Ursule was approved formally in 1648 by a Bref of Innocent X, which was confirmed in 1678 by Innocent XI. The constitutions were those of Saint Ignace insofar as they could apply to the women. They were worked out by Mère of Xainctonge helped by the Guyon Father, S.J., vice-chancellor of the college of Dole, but were finished only in 1623, after the death of this last. These Constitutions were observed until the Révolution during which the houses were closed and nuns forced to turn over in the world. They took again their activities with the restoration, but when the houses reopened, the bishop S of different the Diocèse S modified the constitutions according to their own points of sights. Mother of Pours reopened the convent of Dole, and Mother Roland de Bussy (in the past of Dole) on the council of the Father of Clorivière, S.J., and with the blessing of Pie VII (then captive with Fontainebleau), founded a new house with Tours (1814).

In 1898, on request of the nuns of Turns, the original Constitutions, revised in accordance with the new rules of the Church concerning the religious orders, were approved definitively by Leon XIII, and their branches were set up in généralat.

Several new foundations took place since Tours, until, in applicaton of the antireligieuses laws of 1901, the nuns were again expelled and their confiscated properties. The head office of Turns was transferred to Haverloo-lez-Bruges (Belgium). New foundations took place successively with New York in 1901, (house-girl with Providence, Rhode Island in 1911); with Rome in 1904; in Sluis (Holland) in 1911. Beside the Belgium of the Italy and the United States the Sisters continue their work in Suisse, Germany and England.

In 1902 the words “Of the Blessed Virgin”, were added to the title of the Company to distinguish the sisters not cloîtrées from Anne de Xainctonge of the cloîtrées Girls of Sainte Angele.

Starting from 1984 the new Constitutions common to all the Houses of the Federation adopt like titrates official Congregation “Company of Holy-Ursule of Anne de Xainctonge”. The educational system employed by the Order is the same one as that of the Jésuite S. the program of the studies is in conformity with that of the Minister of education main road of each country.

Seven houses of the Congregation currently remain, two in France, with Dole and with Tours, three in Suisse, with Freiburg, Brigue and Sion and two in Germany, with Freiburg-in-Brisgau and Villingen.

See too

Order of holy Ursule

External bonds

Site of the Company of Holy Ursule de Tours
Site of the House of Freiburg in Switzerland
Site of the House of Aspires to in Switzerland
Site of Gospel and mission: File of 2006 on the 3 Swiss houses at the time of the 400ème birthday of the foundation of the Company.

Source

Encyclopedia Catholica (Public domain).

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