On 12 March and 2 June, two groups of Sisters from the Mother House of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit of Saint-Brieuc, in Brittany, FRANCE, came successively to visit us at our “charity house” in Plérin -a town 4.3 km from Saint-Brieuc-.
Upon their arrival, we observed the buildings of the community by pointing out the original building dating from around 1720, enlarged by two others from the 18th and 19th centuries. After considering the exterior of the house, we entered to visit the two rooms of the “museum”.
Inside, a moving moment to remember the immense work accomplished by the sisters during the 18th and 19th centuries by discovering the various objects on display!… They used to cook with very simple equipment. They went to fetch water from the well. They made the wafers themselves…
Many sisters took care of the sick with rudimentary tools for today but ingenious for their time. Mortars with pestles were used to make herbal medicines (rosemary, mallow, thyme, St. John’s wort… etc.). Everything was meticulously weighed thanks to the scales with two trays and weights from the smallest to the largest. This could be done thanks to the experience of the sisters who had formed in Taden -65.6 km away- with the count and the countess de la Garaye.
We still have the three medical books, one of which is handwritten. The other two are works by Nicolas LEMERY (1645-1715), chemist and apothecary who himself formed the count and countess de la Garaye. These two books were passed on to Jean-Olivier Briand, bishop in Quebec, and then given to his sister Catherine Briand who was the superior of the community of Plérin during the French Revolution. This legacy still belongs to us as a trace of the dedication and ingenuity of our sisters at that time.
The visit ended with a joyful snack in our dining room. The conversation continued… We spoke about the “Place de Marie BALAVENNE”, near our house as well as the “Lycée Marie BALAVENNE” in Saint-Brieuc, Marie BALAVENNE who, with Renée BUREL, on December 8, 1706, committed to living together to serve God by serving the poor, the sick, and children, encouraged and supported by Jean LEUDUGER, diocesan priest and director of the Breton Missions. They were then known as the “Sisters of Charity of Plérin” or “White Sisters”, or “Daughters of the Holy Spirit”.
I felt the emotion of our older sisters and the pride of belonging to a congregation that has marked history, where some sisters gave their lives during numerous epidemics. Pascale and Laurinda, their companions, were also very interested in this visit to our “source-places”.
Message received after the visit: “A big thank you for your welcome during our visit to the ‘museum’ in Plérin. May the Lord send you in abundance a “cart” full of blessings to thank you.”
Odile DESIRE, Daughter of the Holy Spirit. Published on June 5, 2026
