The Daughters of Providence

The Congregation of the Daughters of Providence was founded in Brittany in the town of Saint Brieuc in 1818 by the Venerable Father Jean-Marie de la Mennais. At the same time he also founded a Congregation of Brothers of Christian Instruction with similar aims

After the French Revolution, many children were abandoned or their parents could not afford to send them to school, as there was no free education then. In consequence, those children would wander round the towns and many would fall into all kinds of vice.

Father de la Mennais was very concerned about this state of affairs and considered how he could help to change it. For the girls, he asked some young ladies of his parish if they would undertake to teach them the three R's and give them religious instruction. He himself provided the premises.

Apart from teaching them the basic subjects, the ladies also taught them needlework which was sold and the money used to buy school books and materials as well as some food. Kind benefactors also helped.

After a time, the young ladies expressed their desire of leading a consecrated life. It was then that Father de la Mennais gave them more suitable premises, drew up a Rule of Life and eventually admitted them to the profession of vows. As their new house was called "La Providence", he called the new Congregation "The Daughters of Providence".

As the years went by, the Sisters opened more houses in parishes where they were needed. Apart from teaching the poor, they also undertook nursing and parish work.

In 1897, the Sisters were asked to help on the Mission in West Canada. In 1947, some of the Sisters went to open houses and schools in the districts round Montreal. In 1903 it was decided to send Sisters to England - then considered a missionary country. They first of all went to Tottenham at the request of the Parish priest. However, they were not allowed to open a School as there were two other Congregations in the parish. In 1905, Father John Nicholson invited the Sisters into his parish at Wood Green and to open a school there. This they did and the school flourished, moving from one site to another as the numbers increased.

In 1910, the parish of Palmers Green was cut out of Wood Green and Father Heditch, the parish priest of St Monica's, invited the Sisters to open a school in Palmers Green. A house was acquired in Devonshire Road and three Sisters taught there and prepared children in the parish for their First Holy Communion.

Soon, however more help was needed both from the point of view of personnel and finance. Owing to the persecution in France, this was not forthcoming and in spite of Father Heditch's prophecy to the Sisters:"This is the small beginning of a great work", there seemed no prospect for the future and the school closed in 1913.The Sisters were not to return to the parish until 1932 when they replaced the Ursulines who had opened a school at Oakthorpe in 1916.

With the introduction of Comprehensive education it was decided to build on to the private school at Palmers Green, as there was not enough room at Wood Green to cater for larger numbers. The school, St Angela's, then took pupils from the age of 14 to 19 and the Holy Family at Enfield took the girls from 11 to 14. This two-tier system remained until September 1994: when the two School amalgamated to become one school on two sites. A new name was found which linked the two Congregations - "St. Anne's". St Anne was the mother of Our Lady (the Holy Family) and she is the patroness of Brittany, where the Daughters of Providence were founded. In 1998 the trusteeship of the school was transferred to the Archdiocese of Westminster.

In l979, a house was found in Wood Green and some Sisters returned there. That became the Provincialate and House of Formation for the English Province until 1998. The photograph on the left shows Providence Convent at Oakthorpe Road in Palmers Green, and is taken from St. Anne's school.

In 1993 a request was received from the Archdiocese of Birmingham to send Sisters to help in the Parish of Thame in Oxfordshire. After due consultation and reflection the Province decided to accept. The Sisters now help in the Parishes of Thame and Aylesbury, as well as at St. Monica's in Palmers Green. They assist with the liturgy, with parish and bereavement visiting, catechetics and visit a prison in Oxfordshire.

In 1981 a Mission was begun in the Ivory Coast, West Africa, in conjunction with our Brothers. In 1992 another Mission was opened in Burundi, Africa, also with our Brothers.

After our General Chapter of Renewal in 1970, we considered what our Founder would have done if he were alive then. As a result, we decided that, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we would be ready to undertake any form of Apostolate "to make Jesus Christ known and loved" (words of the Founder), according to the needs of the Church and the times.

St Monica's Catholic Church, Stonard Road, Palmers Green, London N13.
Tel: 020 8886 9568


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