LITTLE SISTERS OF THE HOLY FAMILY. - An institute founded by Fr. Camillo Lefebvre, of the Congregation of Holy Cross, who in 1874 had summoned several sisters of his Congregation to St. Joseph’s College (Memramcook, Canada) to provide assistance.
As the number of postulants increased, in 1880 Fr. Lefebvre was authorized by his superiors to establish an autonomous religious congregation, with the cooperation of Mother Maria Leonia, who became its first superior. After the sisters transferred to the diocese of Scherbrooke on 5 Oct. 1895, they were formally approved by Bishop Larocque on 26 Jan. 1896. The Holy See approved them on 2 March 1937. Devoted to service in colleges and religious houses, the sisters currently number 1,450 in 59 houses.
It obtained the decree of praise in 1910 together with the temporary approval of the Constitutions, which, brought into conformity with the Code, were again approved on 5 June 1932 and definitively on 1 Apr. 1941. The sisters devote themselves to the education and instruction of young women, especially those of the working class, to the care of the sick in hospitals or at home, and to any other work of charity in urgent cases. They also work in the Missions. The sisters number more than 1,000, distributed among 236 houses.
BIBL. Archives of the S. Congregation of Religious, V. 59.