ISTITUTO DI MARIA TERESA. - The Dames of Maria Teresa, known as Servants of Jesus Christ, were founded in Bordeaux in 1815 by Marie Brochet de la Rochetière, assisted by the priest L'Espiaut. As their numbers increased, they spread to Lyon, Limoges, and Nîmes. The Constitutions, inspired by Augustinian spirituality, were approved by the Holy See on 16 January 1835; however, on 31 March 1843, the house in Limoges was separated from the others and constituted as an independent entity under the jurisdiction of the local Ordinary. In 1929, the Constitutions were adapted to the Code.
The purpose of the Institute of Maria Teresa is directed toward the good education of young girls and, in particular, the free instruction of the poor and other adults ignorant of religious matters. It also welcomes wayward young women into special refuges to bring them back to God and engages in manual labor to assist the needy.
In 1950, the sisters numbered 123, distributed across 9 houses.