Queens Village's Little Sisters Of The Poor






<PRE>

 The Little Sisters of the Poor are established in 31 countries. They 
were founded in the French province of Brittany in the 1800s. Their first 
operation in the United States was a home for the aged at Bushwick and DeKalb 
avenues in Brooklyn that opened in August of 1868. They established another 
home for the aged in Manhattan in 1871.

 In 1892, the first U.S. novitiate for their order was established at their 
Brooklyn Home for the Aged to train young women to become Little Sisters of 
the Poor. Eventually, 45 young women made their first vows there.

 As time passed, this operation was overcrowded and they sought to acquire 
suitable property for a new novitiate. In 1896, the Parish of Sts. Joachim 
and Anne had been founded on Hollis Avenue in what is now Queens Village with 
Father Fred W. Dolzauer as the pastor.

 A few years later when he became aware the Little Sisters of the Poor were 
seeking a site for their novitiate, he recommended the M. BROWN Farm which 
was for sale in his community. 
On February 26, 1900 the transaction was completed for $8,795 
St. Ann's Novitiate with its chapel was dedicated on December 13, 1902

The prior owners of this farmland were :
Luke COVERT in the early 1800's, 
Aury GOLDER from 1827 to about 1859, 
John MARTIN from about 1859 to about 1891, 
M. BRON from about 1891 to 1900.

 What is presently Queens Village was originally called Brushville in the 
1800s, named for Thomas BRUSH, an early settler. In 1854, the name was changed to 
"Queens."  
In 1870, the Long Island Rail Road established a station at Queens. 
For travellers there was some confusion between the name of the village and 
the name of the county. Finally in 1924, the name of the village was changed 
to 'Queens Village.'
 
 In the 100 years that have elapsed since the dedication, 1,327 
Little Sisters have pronounced their temporary vows in this novitiate 
chapel and 251 have made their perpetual profession here. 
 In the early days of this novitiate there was a working farm which provided 
food for the residents. To assist in the operation of the farm, several men 
were employed as farm hands and to do maintenance. They lived in the former 
M. BROWN farm house.
 Father Dolzauer served as the pastor of Sts. Joachim and Anne Parish for a 
remarkable 35 years (1896-1931). This parish enjoys a special relationship 
with St. Ann's Novitiate because of Fr. Dolzauer's help. The novitiate is 
located at 110-39 Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village. 
 The property was divided to allow for the construction of
'Queen of Peace Residence,' a building for the aged, it opened in 1970.

 Little Sisters of the Poor were founded in Brittany, France, 
with Blessed Jeanne Jugan as the foundress. She was born in Cancale in 1792 
during the French Revolution. Her father was a fisherman who sailed on long 
voyages to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland and at times was gone for more 
than six months. In 1796, he was lost at sea and the family then struggled 
for their existence.
 When Jeanne Jugan matured, she became a servant and kitchen maid for one of 
the wealthy families in the area. She subsequently left Cancale for Saint-Servan 
in Brittany and became a nurse at the hospital. In the winter of 1839 at 
Saint-Servan when she was 47 years old, she saw an elderly blind woman who 
needed assistance. She took the lady into her home and gave her food and shelter.
Shortly another old woman followed and then a third. By 1843 there were 40 in 
residence being cared for by Jeanne Jugan and her three young companions who 
chose her as the superior of their small group which was slowly taking the form 
of a religious community. Jeanne Jugan then spent her time collecting donations 
for the poor.
 As noted, in August of 1868, which was during her lifetime, the Little Sisters 
of the Poor established an operation in the United States. Jeanne Jugan died on 
August 29, 1879 at the Motherhouse at La Tour St. Joseph's in Saint Pern, France.
 On October 3, 1982 in the presence of 6,000 pilgrims from all parts of the world, 
Pope John Paul II declared 'Blessed' Jeanne Jugan.'The most humble woman of Cancale,'  
he said,'so poor in possessions, yet so rich in faith.'

 In addition to St. Ann's Novitiate and Queen of Peace Residence, the 
Little Sisters of the Poor in New York State operate
'Our Lady of Hope Residence' in Latham, New York (near Albany) and 
have a residence under construction in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx.

The training of a Little Sister begins in the Home near Chicago where the
'postulants' spend about six months learning by living their life and work 
with the elderly. 
From there they come to St. Ann's Novitiate in Queens Village for a little over 
two years where the'novices'  enter more deeply into the spirituality of the 
congregation and prepare to make their first commitment for two years by 
temporary profession of the four vows of Chastity, Poverty, Obedience and 
Hospitality. They are then sent to one of the homes to live out this commitment. 
After about two years experience in the homes, they go to the home in Washington, 
D.C. for doctrinal studies for one year. This is followed by another year or so 
working in community in one of their homes before being sent to France. 
Each Little Sister has the grace to spend the final year before her perpetual 
vows at the Motherhouse in Brittany, France. Here she joins Little Sisters from 
all over the world for a Second Novitiate in the places hallowed by the presence 
of Mother Foundress Blessed Jeanne Jugan during the last 27 years of her life. 
The total training time before the final commitment is seven to eight years. 


"excerpts from the above article were found in the "Ridgewood Times"
<a href="http://timesnewsweekly.com/">http://timesnewsweekly.com/</a>

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