FRIARS OF MERCY (Montbaut, Limburg). – The first origins of this congregation of lay brothers date back to 1852, when several young men, under the direction of Peter Loetscher, began to live in community, dedicating themselves to the care of the sick at Hillscheid, in the district of Montbaut.
On 29 June 1856 the Bishop of Limburg gave the associates a religious habit, and on 28 November 1858 he received their first religious vows. The Institute soon spread to Germany and Holland, obtaining from the Holy See the decree of praise on 21 September 1888. On 20 December 1869 it received definitive approval along with temporary approval of its constitutions, which were definitively approved on 10 April 1924. Its purpose is to care for the sick both in hospitals and at home.
In 1949 there were 31 houses, with 290 professed members.