FRANCISCANS OF MONTPELLIER. – Congregation founded in 1861 by Mother François du St-Esprit (1821–82) with the assistance of Mgr. Thibaut, bishop of Montpellier.
The sisters devote themselves to teaching and, from the old castle near Montpellier, which had been their mother house since 1895, they were also called the sisters of St-Chinian. They soon opened schools elsewhere as well. Since 1914 they have had houses in Spain. At present there are 19 houses with 161 sisters.
BIBL.: P. Norbert, Les religieuses franciscaines, Paris 1897, pp. 412–21. Cesario van Hulst