At the beginning it was a small group of ladies dedicated to works of charity, who in 1877 constituted themselves as an association of Dominican Tertiaries. In 1879 the Association was erected into a religious congregation of diocesan law, and in 1880 it was officially recognized as belonging to the Third Order of St. Dominic. In 1898 the generalate was transferred to Orléans. On July 7, 1908, the decree of praise and temporary approval of the Constitutions was granted by the Holy See. Final approval was granted in 1927.
The sisters, devoted to the free care of poor sick people in their homes, number over 200 in 6 houses.
BIBL.: Arch. of the S. Congr. of Religious, Silvério Mattei
PICCOLI FRATELLI DI MARIA (by courtesy of the Piccoli Fratelli di Maria)